good morning. target good morning, target, libya. good morning. target libya -- moammar gadhafi's compound hit by a cruise missile as u.s.-led air strikes intensify. but while american officials say the initial campaign has been a success, there are signs the libyan leader's forces are still on the attac setback. just hours after officials reporting progress at the nuclear plant in japan. smoke rising from the reactor forced them to evacuate again. this as japan halts shipments of milk and vegetables near the site over fears of

contamination. and a female wing walker fighting for her life after her husband was forced to crash land the airplane. he speaks about her condition today, monday march 21, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. busy monday morning. i'm matt lauer. ann curry is back from japan, in for meredith. what an extra job you did over that on what had to be a difficult trip. >> it was difficult for everyone involved. i think we are all thinking of the people that are still there and especially there japanese. we'll have the latest from japan including the latest evacuation of the workers from the nuclear power plant and also the detection of radiation on spinach and milk coming up, matt.

>> also ahead the u.s. army is issuing an apology for disturbing photos that portray abuse allegedly committed by u.s. troops serving in afghanistan. they were published in the german newspaper derspiegel and some show soldiers posing with dead afghan civilians. there are fears the images could generate more outrage in the arab community cane to the abu ghraib scandal in 2004. let's begin with u.s. air strikes in libya. we have three reports starting with nbc's pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. u.s. officials insist moammar gadhafi isn't the target of the u.s. and coalition air strikes, but it appears one attack overnight came pretty close. it was a british cruise missile that slammed into gadhafi's compound overnight. the libyan leader reportedly escaped harm. u.s. officials say the attack

was aimed at a military command system and control system. and control system. libyans say it was an attempt to take out gadhafi. the u.s. last tried to kill him in 1986 in an air strike. two years later a libyan bomb brought down a pan-am flight 103 killing all 259board. gadhafi is accused of personally ordering the attack. meanwhile, u.s. officials claim there was significant progress in the current bombing campaign. for the third straight night u.s. and coalition air strikes pounded libyan targets. on "meet the press," admiral mike mullen declared the no-fly zone has been a success and moammar gadhafi's air force has been grounded. >> he hasn't had any aircraft or helicopters flying the last couple of days. effectively the no-fly zone has been put in place. >> reporter: these air strikes have gone well beyond the no-fly zone. american f-15s and 16s left a

trail of bombed and burned-out tanks and trucks on an attack on libyan military forces advancing on benghazi. dozen of military were killed. armed forces celebrated a victory over the military, but u.s. military officials insist the attack was aimed at protecting civilians, not the rebels. critics claim the u.s. is taking sides in a civil war. >> we can say this is for humanitarian purposes or say it's a no-fly zone but what we have done is intervene in a libyan civil war. we now own a moral responsibility for the outcome. >> reporter: on his way to russia overnight robert gates said the u.s. will turn over the bombing campaign to allies within days. >> we will continue to support the coalition. we will be a member of the coalition. we will have a military role but we will not have the preeminent role. >> reporter: despite claims that killing gadhafi isn't the military objective in the campaign, president obama has

said gadhafi must go and it is clear the political objective is to drive the libyan leader from power. ann? >> jim miklaszewski, thanks. nbc's jim maceda is in tripoli. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, ann. well, we find ourselves here close to but not actually in a targeted area. but still the last two nights have seen wave upon wave of anti-aircraft fire with trace-around flying really in every direction, mostly defensive fire which suggests that libya's targeting capabilities are very limited. now, last night we lived what jim was describing from the inside. we felt an explosion for the first time here. clearly from an air strike. we saw smoke coming from the general direction of gadhafi's compound. we have been told gadhafi was not a target. but when our government minders invited all journalists to go to the compound, some of us

hesitated. we were concerned and sensitive about becoming human shields. those who did go were shown evidence that there had been an air strike, shrapnel damage and pieces of what could have been a cruise missile with serial numbers on it. gadhafi was not near the building, however, part of the vast compound is a command and control center. again, gadhafi hasn't been seen here since friday. ann? >> jim, your comment about the possibility that gadhafi's regime is using people as human shields is alarming given that gadhafi is on the attack. is that right? >> reporter: he is still on the attack, though in benghazi forces pulled back 90 miles. glad aftery december -- gadhafi is desperate to take the town of misrata. it's much closer to tripoli. after being hit by air strikes yesterday, his forces actually pushed back into misrata today.

it is libya's third largest town. according to the latest report at least six people were killed. the forces have remained in misrata now. they have changed out of their uniforms and dressed as civilians and invited hundreds if not thousands of other civilians to join them. this could be an important test case. this. can or will the coalition strike misrata with all the would-be civilians in the center of the city. >> the arab league's approval was pivotal for the u.n. resolution that led to the air strikes. it authorized all necessary means to protect civilians. threatened by gadhafi's regime. what are we to make of the news the arab league secretary general has denounced the military strikes at the same time saying that the league

still backs the u.n. resolution? >> reporter: right, exactly. you hear tripoli fire started behind me here. there could be no worse development on the political level. the arab league support, as you say, of the no-fly zone was a game changer. it is what made all of this happen. now amir mous's negative xhem comments were made in arabic. it sounded more positive and replied to the same question in english. there is a double voice here that's not rare in the arab world. that's perhaps the reason today we are seeing a statement from u.n. secretary general ban ki moon saying it's important that the international community speaks with one voice. ann, that appears to be a crack coming up in that no-fly zone coalition. back to you. >> an important development. jim, thanks. it's 7:08.

here's matt. >> thank you very much. retired general barry mccafferty is here. nbc news military analyst. general, good morning. good to see you. >> good morning, matt. >> what's the vision now? is this enforcing a no-fly zone? or has it expanded? >> no-fly zone is a nonsensical political device. what we are doing right now trying to protect civilians and thankfully with brilliant employment of u.s. air force and naval power, we have gone after his center of gravity which was tanks, artillery, armor. this is a game changer. this along with the b-2 strikes on the air peeled and more than 82,000 bombs have gone after hangars. we terrorized libyan military and changed the equation and given a breathing space to benghazi. >> president obama says moammar gadhafi must leave power but the chairman of the joint chiefs mike mullen said that one possible outcome is that gadhafi stays in power even after the

u.s. military accomplishes its mission. it sounds like they are on different pages here. >> yeah. i think we are in some political trouble. very tepid support out of the arab league. there is no involvement except u.s., brit, french. allegedly six or four aircraft headed to the mediterranean. turks have blocked consensus temporarily in nato. we have some political problems. i'm sure at the end of the day what we have to sort out publically -- what is the political mission? and make sure that the military objectives match up. with that mission. >> can any military action be seen as anything but a failure gadhafi remains in power? >> i don't see how libya remains a stable platform when this murderous regime stays in office. clearly he's the only arab leader who's absolutely despised by his fellow countrymen.

having said that, the algerians, syrians, iranians, saudis and others are unlikely to be up front dealing with internal civil war in libya. >> i want to change subjects and ask you as a military man about the other story we are covering this morning. a german newspaper released photos. there are photos that allegedly show u.s. servicemen in afghanistan posing next to what appear to be dead afghan civilians. clearly -- the u.s. military says the pictures are repugnant to us as human beings and contrary to the standards and values of the u.s. army. we saw the fallout after abu ghraib. the photos taken at that prison in iraq. the damage done to the u.s. military's reputation and our nation's reputation as a whole. what do you see as the fallout from the photos? >> probably significant. the taliban will make use of it

along with al qaeda worldwide. it is a shameful incident. they are going to trial. the stryker brigade had a platoon that went bad on us. they will end up in front of military justice if the facts are as alleged they will be punished. this is a real blot on the honor of the armed forces. it causes two problems. general petraeus with 100,000 military on the ground, 50,000 nato. this is inopportune. it will be exploited by the other side. >> general, thanks for your perspective. i appreciate it. >> good to be with you, matt. >> 12 minutes after the hour. here's ann. >> now to the disaster in japan where smoke was seen rising from the nuclear plant overnight. this morning there are new concerns over radiation tainted food and milk produced near that plant. chief correspondent robert bazell is in tokyo with the

latest. bob, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. for a few days the word from the power plant has been mostly hopeful. now what is at least a temporary setback. >> we have seen smoke coming out. >> reporter: japanese officials taking to the airwaves today. new problems. smoke emanating from reactors as workers were evacuated from the crippled plant for the second time in five days. with radiation still leaking from the plant and people still being screened there is a new trouble lurking. >> levels of radiation exceeding the provisional standard set by food safety legislation. >> reporter: government officials ordered the halt of shipments of milk from fukushima prefecture and leafy vegetables, many far from the site. officials say most food is safe but in tokyo some were skeptical. >> i'm going to try to avoid to buy it. >> reporter: we bought spinach in the tokyo market and tested it.

with our own radiation device. most batches had nothing above the normal background rate. of one pound per second. one had a rate of two counts per second, well within safety standards, but an indication that radiation has spread in the food supply into the market. evidence that farmers like this woman fear will have long-lasting effects on their livelihood. >> reporter: i'm worried, she says. we won't be able to carry on as farmers. meanwhile the new normal of everyday life continues. with the damaged oil terminal, cars are getting back on the road with the damaged oil reserve repaired. and people are cleaning up, trying to rebuild their lives. despite the loss all around them. thousands are dead and many thousands missing. it is moments like these that give the country a boost of spirit. an elderly woman and her grandson found live nine days after the quake and tsunami ravaged their town. the young man seen today

recovering as the father rejoiced. never give up. one happy story among all the misery from north of here that you witnessed and reported on so well. about the reactors, nobody knows what the cause of the smoke is yet. they stay is month indication of abnormal pressure readings or anything like that. but it indicates that the problem will be going on for a very long time. ann? >> robert bazell this morning. bob, thank you very much. we have gary wahs from the university of michigan. good morning to you. >> good morning, ann. >> first of all, your response, reaction to the report of smoke rising overnight. what does it possibly mean? >> in the past week smoke coming out of the containment has usually been an indication of a fire in the spent fuel storage pool. that's due to overheating of the fuel rods because it's hard to keep them under water which keeps them cool, keeps radiation levels down. >> is it probable that there

would be radiation attached to the smoke? >> very possible. the smoke has been due to uncovering of the rods by the water allowing the zirconium liners to or cladding to catch fire. >> hence why the workers have been told to pull back. meantime, about the radiation, we have been hearing from bob how they found evidence of this in milk and food -- some contamination. what are the chances that that is going to spike, that it will continue to rise? >> that's a good question. the situation at the reactors has stabilized. in each building there are two potential sources of radiation, both from the fuel. one in the reactor vessel surrounded by steel and concrete and the other in the spent fuel storage pool. if the trouble they are having is because of loss of power they can't keep water on the rods and keep them cool. if they overheat then they can become damaged and release

radiation into the environment. >> so you're saying there is a real chance it is going to spike quickly? >> well, it's possible. it's a tenuous situation. >> i see. >> the problem at the site is the loss of power. power is required to pump water to keep the rods cool. it's similar to a car engine. if you lose the water pump, you can't keep your car engine cool. the difference is when you turn off a reactor, it still releases heat. the heat must be removed. continually. it decays with time but you have to remove it. that's why they are battling with makeshift solutions like fire hoses and sea water until they can get power. >> if they can't get power what could happen in the next couple of days? >> it might take a while to bring power to the site. i understand it was brought to one of the reactor buildings now, number 2. after that they have to successfully hook up the pumps and get those running.

then the situation can be brought under control and stay that way for a while while they assess damage and start cleanup. if they can't there is a problem in continuing this sort of intermittent or intermediate state where they are using water to keep the rods cool rather than pumping water. so that's a more dangerous state. >> all right. you're essentially saying the bottom line is we have to still wait and see how this thing develops. thank you so much for joining us. >> my pleasure. >> now a check of the top stories from natalie morales who's in for me at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning. yemen's top general joined anti-government protesters and says he'll order troops to protect demonstrators against the president. this is the latest in the back lash against president for friday's crackdown on protesters that left 52 people dead. two other top officials in yemen stopped to protest the killing and ban ki moon condemns the use of live fire on demonstrators.

moon condemned the use of live fire on demonstrators. strong spring showers are soaking the los angeles area an heavy snow fell in the sierra mountains. thousands lost power and the swollen rivers and mud slides prompted dozens of evacuations. parts of the pacific coast highway were shut down after rock slides in malibu. at least 35 people were arrested outside the president at quantico, virginia. hundreds gathered to protest the treatment of bradley manning who was charged with releasing thousands of documents to wikileaks. daniel ellsberg who leaked the so-called pentagon papers in 1971 was among those arrested. president obama is directing u.s. military action against libya while continuing his trade mission to south america. a national security team accompanied him in brazil where he played soccer with children from a violence-ravaged slum. today in chile he's holding his first news conference to answer questions about the libya

assault. now to wall street where news of a possible at&t buyout of t-mobile has investors buzzing. melissa lee is at the new york stock exchange. good morning, melissa. >> good morning. the $39 billion deal would create the largest wireless operator in north america ahead of sprint and verizon. the news sent stocks soaring to the biggest gain in german trading ever. the good news for consumers according to analysts is that quality and coverage of services like broadband mobile will improve but pricing may not come down as quickly as consumers might hope. meantime, traders will be focusing on the price of oil. u.s. crude topping $103 a barrel on the unrest in libya. natalie? >> going to be a busy week there again. thank you, melissa. proof of the power of the human spirit. it didn't stop him from winning the 125 pound title at that time

ncaa championships this weekend. the man who entered on crutches left with the national title. what an incredible young man. it's 7:20. let's turn it back to matt, ann and al. >> what a story. >> big smile, well deserved. >> hello, al. what's going on? >> out west they have been getting hammered and will continue over the next 48 hours. this is the last 24 hours of precipitation. some areas picking up up to eight inches of rain in and around the santa barbara area. on the curre radar you will see more rain pushing in and mountain snows as well. over the next 48 hours we could be looking at another one to two inches of rain to the north of san francisco. snow has been a big problem as well. they may pick up a foot to two feet of snow. mountain rescues and water rescues, the folks you saw in the car drove around a barricade and got stuck. so it's a mess out west.

they have another 48 hours of misery there. well, it is not misery but it is relentless. i'm talking about the rain over the bay area still coming in strong this morning. and the possibility of some afternoon thunderstorms is certainly in the forecast today as well. you can see we have light scattered shower activity pushing on to the peninsula right now and in to the south bay. you can count on spotty showers for the first part of the day with strong storms possible heading throughout the afternoon to take up the day him heating. then rain chances each enevery day this week with temperatures in the 40s turning over to the 50s. have a great day. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thanks. coming up, the pilot forced to make a crash landing moments after his wife began a wing walk. now she's fighting for her life and he will speak out in an exclusive interview coming up. but first this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] beatrice earned her masters in education

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just ahead, big changes in the guidelines when it comes to kids in car seats. we'll give you the details. >> plus, where are prince william and kate middleton going on their honeymoon? we have a hint the prince may have dropped in australia. that's coming up after your local news. only at universal orlando resort. [ male announcer ] mcdonald's new mccafé shakes. with a fresh look and delicious new toppings, they're a brand-new way to indulge. new mccafé shakes. oh. thank you, baby. [ male announcer ] the simple joy of love at first sight.

good morning to you. 7:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the new storm system making its way to the bay area is showing some still waking up without power this morning. christie smith is here with the latest. >> reporter: good morning to you. i'm happy to say right now we are getting a much-needed break from the rain here in marin county, but still thousands of pg&e customers in the north bay are waking up without power, at least 3,800 customers in the north bay should have their power back up by at least noon today. some have been without their

power since saturday. in the south bay peninsula, 300 customers should have their power by 8:00. pg&e says customers in the east bay should wake up to find their lights back on. christie smith for "today in the bay." a little break right now, what are we in store for later on? let's go to christina loren. >> good morning to you. we'll see spotty showers throughout the day. they will be mostly light. we are concerned about the possibility of some strong storms firing up as we head through this afternoon. so we'll continue to watch that for you, but our temperatures will not be warm by any means even though this is the first full day of spring. we'll see the mid-50s all throughout the bay area. as we head throughout tomorrow, warmer with more showers later in the day. periods of rain on wednesday. overall, looking like a wet first day of spring. we'll check the drive with mike inouye. i just got word of highway 17 near the summit with reports of a tree and some mud blocking part of the roadway.

we don't know where along 17 if it is northbound or southbound, but i'll let you know in the update if i can. here's the bay bridge approach, slow down the east shore freeway near the berkeley curve. we had a disabled vehicle an an accident there, but both have cleared. debris near danville clearing out. a slow drive near pleasanton and dublin for 580 webb. a 20-minute drive with speeds near 30 miles per hour. a live look out there right now. back to laura. the "today" show returns in sstw tn hao minutes. n

7:30 now on a monday morning, the 21st of march 2011. first full day of spring. there are those spring showers out on the plaza. kind of chilly out there, too. unspring-like, but people hanging out. we'll say hi in a little while. inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry filling in for meredith. ahead the latest on prince william's trip to new zealand and australia. >> that's right. he spent five days visiting with people recovering from natural disasters in both countries. is he also getting an early taste of his honeymoon destination? what he said that's fuelling

speculation with just 39 days left before the royal wedding, matt. >> thanks for counting it down. also keeping kids safe in the car. the american academy of pediatrics has a new set of recommendations for child car seats. if you have a toddler under 2 or if you have a child who is in a booster seat you will want to pay attention. these are major changes. we'll have the details coming up. >> plus a question a lot of people asked -- does heaven exist? we'll meet the boy who inspired a new york times bestseller who said he's been there. he'll share his story coming up. >> we want to begin with an air show crash caught on tape. kyle and amanda franklin were performing a wing walking stunt in brownsville, texas, when the engine stalled and kyle was forced to crash land. both are in the hospital. "today" correspondent amy robach is in san antonio where the couple is recovering. amy, good morning. >> reporter: that's right. good morning, matt.

amanda franklin remains in critical condition at the u.s. army burn center. her husband kyle says while she's stabilized she's far from stable at this point. he's in better shape but was inside the cockpit when they crashed. aymmanda barely had enough timeo make it back inside the plane. it was a horrific site that was unmistakable to on-lookers. youtube video shows smoke and fire shooting out of a stunt plane with 25-year-old amanda franklin standing on the wing as the plane began to fall. >> i thought the plane wouldle go down. >> so did the pilot, amanda's husband kyle. as kyle was coming out of a maneuver he heard the engine stall and felt his heart sink. >> i knew we were too low, too slow. >> reporter: from the moment you heard the sputter of the engine to the time on the ground how much time elapsed? >> 14 seconds. >> reporter: that's how long kyle had to crash land and how little time amanda had to get

into the cockpit. up fortunately it was the front part of the plane that burst into flames on impact. kyle tried to free amanda but was burned. rescue workers quickly pulled him from the wreckage. air show worker eddie alavarez was one of the first on the scene. >> first thing i saw the fire. >> reporter: the plane was on fire? >> the plane was on fire. i heard amanda. >> reporter: she was screaming? >> she was screaming. >> reporter: what did you do? >> i heard the scream. ran to the plane and there was no way to get to her real quick. >> reporter: when eddie got there he realized amanda was trapped by her safety harness. >> amanda grabbed my wrist. i knew she was alive. >> reporter: firefighters got bolt cutters to eddie. he freed her but she was badly injured. kyle first saw his wife in the

hospital. >> she has burns over 70% of her body. she has an inhalation injury, a broken neck, broken back. her face is smashed. she's got multiple fractures throughout her face. she's got verile little skin left for them to do very much grafting. >> reporter: amanda has been through one surgery already, is heavily sedated and has yet to wake up. before the accident both kyle and amanda were avid stunt pilots and performers. they toured air shows, wowing crowds with wing walking and aerial acrobatics. amanda and kyle met through their fathers who were air show stunt pilots. >> they did an act together called masters of disaster. >> reporter: in july of 2005 disaster struck. both of their fathers were killed as their planes accidentally collided into each other during an air show. kyle and amanda were on the ground and watched the tragedy

firsthand. >> flying is what we do. it's our passion. it's what we love. i can't imagine doing anything else. even after this situation here. i guarantee you amanda will be back up in an airplane soon. >> reporter: doctors are still monitoring amanda around the clock. they can't yet say what her prognosis will be. they know she has a very long road ahead of her in the months to come. we also want to mention while we were at the hospital we were able to connect eddie who pulled amanda from the plane and kyle. it was an emotional reunion, the first time they saw each other since the accident. they had a lot to talk about. we should mention kyle said he wanted to thank all of the people who rushed to a burning plane to save him and his wife. matt, back to you. >> amy robach in san antonio this morning. thank you very much. if you would like to help the franklins with their medical bills head to our website at today.com. it's 35 after the hour.

here's ann. >> all right, matt. thanks. prince william wrapped up his visit to new zealand and australia as he prepares for the royal wedding in just 39 days. nbc's sarah james followed the trip every step of the way. >> reporter: it was a greeting fit for a rock star. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: as prince william hopscotched across eastern australia from town to devastated town, thousands jammed the streets for a peek at the future king just weeks before his wedding. desperate to meet the prince with the golden touch. >> he shook my hand. i was so happy! >> he spoke to me! >> reporter: but there was a more somber side to prince william's whirlwind tour. this visit down under, a chance to meet families whose lives have been turned upside down by a cyclone and a devastating series of floods which claimed 35 lives. at this farm, three hours north of melbourne, the renn family got to meet the prince but

fretted over what to serve him. >> we don't have running water or power. can't just sit down and pour the kettle and make a cup of tea or a coffee. it's a bit challenging. >> reporter: flying into one hard hit town, the prince himself took the throttle of the sea king helicopter, the same craft he flies in the u.k. as a search and rescue t pilpilot. he listened to the story of melanie and her premature twins evacuated just before the cyclone spoke. >> that will be a good thing to tell the girls later in life. >> reporter: the prince and fiancee kate middleton dedicated the doctors group to a charity to which wedding guests can donate. elsewhere, the kennedy sisters, one of whom lost her home in the club made it clear they are part of the will fan club. >> it's great that prince william is here before if wedding. >> reporter: for british photographer arthur edwards this

trip was especially poignant. 28 years ago this weekend he snapped this picture of the prince on his first visit to australia with mom, princess diana, and dad, prince charles. >> it was a photo feast. it was the start of the tour and the pictures were magnificent. now when william has a child and brings him to australia that will be full circle. >> reporter: that was nbc's sarah james. now a check of the weather from al. >> all right, thanks, ann. a little bit on the wet side. a little raw. you want to say hi to kinder investigator ners. >> i do. my kids at kennedy elementary school in green bay, wisconsin. they made this sign. >> thanks for bringing the sign. let's check your weather. we know it's raining here. we have a risk of strong storms back through ohio into the west virginias. in the midwest we could have an isolated tornado in the latter

part of the afternoon from omaha to sioux falls. we have snow in upstate nework and new england. rainfall amounts, anywhere from a half an inch to a quarter of an inch of rain. snowfall, three to six inches from syracuse to bangor, maine. good morning to you. well, on this first full day of spring we are getting spring showers. and they are pretty consistent. we have wet roads in redwood city, san jose, we have a little bit pushing to fremont. get ready for showers here in the next 15 minutes or so. spotty showers will be the story for the morning. then we have the possibility of some strong storms firing up just offshore. temperatures right now are in the 40s. we'll end up in the 50s before all is said and done today. 57 in los gatos. 56 in redwood city. heading throughout the week, rain chances every single day. ann? >> al, thank you. coming up, significant new changes to the guidelines for kids and car seats right after this.

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you think i have allergies? you're sneezing. i'm allergic to you. doubtful, you love me. hey, you can't take allegra with fruit juice. what? yeah, it's on the label. really? here, there's nothing about juice on the zyrtec® label. what? labels are meant to be read. i'd be lost without you. i knew you weren't allergic to me. [ sneezes ] you know, you can't take allegra with orange juice. both: really? fyi. [ male announcer ] get zyrtec®'s proven allergy relief and love the air®. back now at 7:43 with new car seat recommendations for parents of young children. the american academy of pediatrics has revised the guidelines and you need to listen up. dr. levine is the spokesperson for the aap and from baby.com. nice to see you. we have three different kinds -- infant, convertible and booster

seats. we start with the infant seats. any major changes here? >> no. the important thing to know is the infant cease is always rear facing. you never want your baby facing forward in this suit. from the moment you bring them home from the hospital they need to face backwards in the seat. >> generally speaking how long does a baby stay in an infant seat before moving on to the next seat, the convertible seat? >> babies can sit in the infant seat until they reach the limit of the car seat which is easily seen. this one says 5 to 35 pounds up to 32 inches. check with the specific car seat you have. >> then you will move your infant into a convertible seat and always at the beginning these are to face the rear. >> exactly. this probably represents the biggest change in the words of the policy. you want this seat to be rear facing until your child is 2 years old, within the limit of the seat. >> let's talk about what parents do now. at about a year it's almost a

rite of passage. parents say the baby is a year old. we are going to turn the seat front-facing. that's no longer acceptable under the guidelines. >> exactly right. a lot of parents will say, well, my child has long legs but it's more important to keep their head, neck and back safe. children are comfortable knees bent. so keep it rear facing. >> a lot of parents switch them at a year because they want to look in the mirror and see the face of my baby. rear-facing i don't know what's going on. >> that's true. but safety is our number one priority. children are definitely safest rear facing. >> always rear facing until 2 years of age. >> as long as you are within the limits of the seat. >> also look at the height and weight requirements of a seat like this before deciding when to move into a booster seat. >> exactly. once you reach the limit of the seat then you can move your child into a booster seat. >> okay. when we talk about booster seats we are going to talk about

probably the most important second guideline change. what is that? >> now the recommendation is to keep your child in a booster seat until your child is 4'9" which is roughly between 8 and 12 years of age. the reason is because the purpose of the booster seat is to make sure the car seat belt hits them in the right place. >> right. if the child is too small and you put them in a regular seat with a regular seat belt the seat belt rides up around the neck. >> it will be up around the neck. it will be uncomfortable for children. they will take the shoulder belt off which you don't want them to do. you want them to sit all the way back in the car, knees bent over the edge of the seat and the seat belt needs to go across the middle of the chest and the thighs. >> it's the combination of age and height. parents who say, wait, my child is 8, out of the booster seat he or she comes. no. only 4'9". >> you really want to be 4'94'9.

>> and settle an argument. at what age should children be allowed to sit in the front seat of the car. >> children need to be in the rear of the car until they are 13. >> okay. >> i'm not making friends today. >> not at my house, but that's okay. it's important. we have important guideline changes and we'll put them on the website so everybody gets them. just ahead, the boy who inspired the best-selling book "heaven is for real" will share his inspiring story on life and death. but first, these messages. depression is a serious medical condition.

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three bags are just ten bucks. who was checking out the moon in the last couple of days? >> i wish i had been. my gosh. >> look at the photos. >> i mean, this is one of the biggest i have -- about the biggest i have ever seen the moon apparently because it is closer -- >> closer to the earth. >> 14% bigger, 30% brighter. >> 13% brighter, right. >> happens every 18 years or so. >> i actually reached out and touched it on saturday night. >> wow. >> that's how close it was. >> just like jimmy stewart. do you want me to pull the moon down for you? >> look at that picture. cutting the moon in half. >> last time i saw that, bugs bunny sawed off florida. >> there are concerns it might create tidal issues but none of that happened. >> nothing happened.

>> just beautiful pictures. >> great, great images. >> yeah. >> and a good impersonation of jimmy stewart as well. >> i'm doing edward g. robinson. >> all right. we're going to have much ocghd ritet afurr al lyo ahead right after your local news. ♪ [ lane ] here's the trouble with most anti-wrinkle creams. the cream disappears but your wrinkles don't. ♪ introducing neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. it has the fastest retinol formula available.

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good morning, everyone. i i'mscott mcgrew. it is 7:56. jury selection begins for the home run king, barry bonds. damion trujillo is live with more details this morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. barry bonds arrived about five minutes ago here outside the courthouse, and at 7:20 this morning his attorney, alan ruby, simply just said good morning and he's here to select a jury. at 8:30 lawyers begin selecting the jury that will decide the fate of the home run king. bonds is on trial on perjury charges for alledgedly lying to a federal grand jury investigating the balco steroid case. bonds was not able to convince the judge to drop all the charges but his team did get a

lot of the evidence thrown out. again, barry bonds is inside the federal courthouse here in san francisco. scott, back to you. damion, thank you. meanwhile, we'll go to meteorologist christina loren and a rainy week ahead. >> i like the way you think, scott. good morning to you. it looks like we'll see rain each and every day now through the weekend. so you're accurate, not a dry break in sight until the early part of next week. i'm thinking tuesday, but we have rain chances every day until then. right now we are seeing some pretty steady moisture stream onshore, especially down to the south bay. watch out for slick conditions in san jose. we'll see those continue throughout the day today with the possibility of some strong storms firing off just offshore as well. temperatures will end up in the 50s as we head throughout this afternoon. let's check your drive with mike inouye. well, kris tie in, we had all the rain and we have the mud slide reported on southbound 17 right near vine hill road. it is not quite as dramatic as the animation shows. no cars in the mud, but one lane is blocked south of the summit.

keep that in mind heading to santa cruz. the rest of the south bay showing slowdowns for northbound 87. 101 is slowing in typical slots for 280. northbound 101 near palo alto, the southbound side is seeing an accident clearing causing an additional slowing. very wet across the san mateo bridge. watch the slick conditions. more local news in a half hour. the "today" show returns in less than a minute.

all right. we're back with more of "today" on a monday morning, the 21st day of march, 2011. it says here a little wet weather can't deter the crowd. i would say it's more than a little wet weather. it's nasty here. ann making her way over. it's raining cats and dogs. >> she just stepped in a poodle. >> good morning, everyone. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. we are trying to batten down the hatches. we'll be talking about a case of cyber bullying.

>> that's right. a list of a hundred young women was posted on facebook and now police are investigating. it was called the smut list. allegedly -- it alleged that the girls were promiscuous. we'll talk to a young woman whose name was on the list and get her reaction. >> also a question a lot of people have asked themselves over the years -- is heaven real? we'll hear a remarkable story. the number one bestseller on the new york times list of nonfiction now is called "heaven is for real." it is about this young man who emerged from life-saving surgery several years ago telling stories about his visit to heaven. some of the things he said recounted details he couldn't have known at his young age. we'll meet him and his parents. >> really amazing story. and later on how did rulon go from being a gold medalist to a competitor on "the biggest

loser"? jenna bush hager caught up with him at the ranch and talked to him about his emotional journey. >> all right. great guy. really great guy. >> you should be wearing bogs. >> i know. i need to put boots on for the next hit. natalie is filling in at the news desk while ann is getting wet. >> in the news, forces sent a strong message to moammar gadhafi. richard engel is in tobruk, libya. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. the message to gadhafi could not have been clearer with a missile strike overnight in the heart of tripoli inside gadhafi's compound destroying a building that was described as an administrative building. no word if gadhafi was in the structure at the time.

he hasn't been seen in days but his compound has been full of volunteer human shields, people willing to put their own lives at risk because of their love for the libyan leader. here in the east in the rebel-held territory, rebels say they are incredibly encouraged now that they have western military support. but the rebels are leaderless, poorly armed, disorganized and it remains to be seen if even with military help from the united states the rebels will be able to launch an effective counter offensive and achieve the goal of reaching tripoli. >> thank you so much, richard. meanwhile, defense secretary robert gates arrived in russia today for talks on missile defense. while flying to st. petersburg he said the u.s. expects to hand over the mission to a coalition in a matter of days. the army apologized and is bracing for backlash after

photographs of u.s. soldiers allegedly posing with the bodies of afghan civilians surfacesurf. the images were published in der spiegel. some are afraid they could generate more anti-american anger than the issues from abu ghrab in 2004. several triasoldiers are on tri for the murder of civilians. iodide pills were offered as the japanese said there was radiation in produce near the fukushima plant. workers were again evacuated from the damaged nuclear plant after smoke rose from one of the reactors. this as the predicted death toll has climbed to 18,000 following the earthquake and tsunami. the coast guard says testing on sludge found in the gulf of mexico saturday shows that it is most likely mississippi river

sediment and contains only a trace amount of oil. the coast guard is investigating separate accounts of an oily substance washing ashore but doesn't believe it is from the bp oil spill. spring fever led to a wild scene sunday in front of berlin's brandenberg gate. hundreds of people pounded each other with pillows hoping to land in the guinness book of world records. that's a big mess. 8:05. let's go back outside to matt and ann. >> that sounds like a blast. we should do that. >> we should do it indoors. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> this is great, isn't it? this is fantastic! [ cheers ] >> are you having a great time? yes! we like this. let's check your weather. all these folks having a good time. dallas, texas, will be nice. let's go to dallas. partly sunny and 80 degrees. going to be lovely there. nbc 5. as we check your weather today,

we've got more rain in southern california. mountain snows as well. we're looking at a mess in the northeast. rain, windy conditions and snow in upstate new york. back through the plains. also mid ohio river valley, a slight risk of strong storms. it will be a well, the showers are becoming a little bit stronger right now. we've got more widespread activity pushing onshore in san francisco. showers also coming down in san brun no, moving south towards san jose. get ready for slick conditions on your drive. and the north bay has been dry for most of the morning. this will be the case throughout the day. spotty showers, an isolated thunderstorm possible. temperatures will end up in t the's with more rain on the way. and that's your latest

weather. >> when we come back, a young woman targe nso-called smut list of new york city high school students speaks out right after this. aches and pains, fatigue. when it becomes hard to ignore that you need help. that's the day you do something. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell y rr orctight away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease,

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[ male announcer ] ask the doctor about once daily non-stimulant intuniv. back now with the troubling new case of cyber bullying. 100 girls in new york and connecticut, some as young as 14 years old, labeled as promiscuous by peers. we'll talk to one of the girls named on the list in a moment. first michelle franzen is in greenwich with details on this. good morning. >> reporter: greenwich high school is just one of several schools dealing with the aftereffects of the list that targets and names students. greenwich police tells nbc new that is the school resource officer on campus here is also helping the school investigate, but so far it appears no laws have been broken. that's bringing parents here and at schools elsewhere with teens on the list little comfort who say bullying and harmful gossip has gone to a new level.

it's a list no parent wants to see their teen's name on and the latest case of cyber bullying. >> i'm angry. my daughter, i'm sure she's angry. frustration. it's just a sickle feeling. >> reporter: sick, angela says that her 15-year-old daughter jen from new york's westchester county was one of 100 females named in a so-called smut list. >> i wasn't angry with her. i was angry at the fact that why would somebody do that? how could somebody get away with making a list? >> reporter: she said the list started making the rounds with students in the form of text messages. then someone posted it on facebook for anyone to see. details included first and last names of teens from at least seven school districts in new york and neighboring greenwich high in connecticut and it ranks each one according to their alleged sexual activity. >> it's cyber bullying. that's how i consider it. >> reporter: the facebook page has been removed but lenise

ortega worries. >> i don't want it to affect me later on. >> reporter: she graduated from white plains high school last year. she transferred there after having two children while in high school. the 20-year-old said she's been bullied before, but nothing like this. >> i scrolled down and my name is there. they were saying, oh, how many baby daddies do you got, or something like that? >> reporter: meanwhile school officials are reportedly taking the mass distributed list seriously. several administrators say they are investigatoring ivestigati students used school computers to create or send the list. they could face disciplinary action. angela said her daughter hasn't talked much about her feelings and tries to laugh it off. as her mom, she felt it was important to speak out so it doesn't happen again.

>> i don't want my daughter's life to be ruined over somebody's opinion. they don't know her. >> reporter: back at greenwich high, students are in classes. we spoke to the headmaster chris winters. he calls it a distrags and says they have spoken to students. they are offering counseling to students that were on the list. >> michelle, thank you. lenise ortega is one of the young women whose name appeared on the list and also joining us is terry aftab, the internet security expert who's been on many times. good morning to you. >> thank you. >> what do you want to say about how much this hurt you? >> well, as everybody knows i got pregnant at a young age. i was a teenage mom. so it did affect me because i'm somebody else's mom. i thought everything that happened in middle school was left behind me. i thought people grew up.

i guess not. it did affect me a lot. i thought this nightmare was over. you know? >> you have a sister who is also named in the list. >> yes. my younger sister. she's 16. >> do you have any idea who would do this? >> i don't know. to be honest, in white plains the girls who used to be very harsh on me when i was in middle school, in the streets they would say hi, ask about my kids. i don't understand. if it was the girls i don't understand why they would do it to me. i don't talk to them, associate with any of the group i went to school with. when it comes to guys, i don't talk to guys in white plains in general. i'm not sure who was up to this. >> what do you think, perry, about whether or not investigators will be able to discern who originated the list? >> i suspect they will. we leave ale trail of cyber bread crumbs wherever we go. this started on bbm, a

blackberry messenger and the records are kept. it's just a matter of investigating them. this is westchester. so we have good people there. >> you're saying these particular prosecutors are very savvy about cyber bullying? >> absolutely. it's one of the best units in the country. >> this list seems to include students from a number of schools. does this maybe perhaps indicate it was not just one person but perhaps more than one person? >> well, it starts with one and everybody joins in. that's the problem. p bystanders are now called active bystanders. they become cyber bullies by adding new names. more names were put on the facebook page than were on bbm. >> what do you think would be the right punishment given that you are a victim in this and your sister as well? >> i'm not sure what would be the right punishment. i hope they get the worst. because there are a lot of girls going through it now and they are still in school.

it's worse when you have to be in school with them. it's like coming home and you have to deal with it. i think they should be punished to a certain level. i saw online people committing suicide for being called names. some people can't handle emotions the way i can. they have to think about that. >> you're not saying suicide in this case, but other cases of cyber bullying. >> in general, yeah. >> what's the worst that could happen once these people are found? >> we need to understand the elements. they could be charged under harassment laws in, no. there may be criminal impersonation. >> defamation? >> absolutely. you can sue and get decent recovery on defamation. then the parents may be liable as well. >> yes or no, are you prepared to sue if that's what it takes? >> yes. >> thank you so much. >> she'll be working with us and helping us by speaking out to other kids. >> she spoke out today. thank you very much. coming up next on a much different note, the boy who says

he's been to heaven. th's here with his parents to is. r story right after this. [ female announcer ] treat yourself to something special for lunch. how about a coastal soup and grilled shrimp salad combination at red lobster? or maybe skewers of tender, wood-grilled shrimp. or your choice of shrimp paired with wood-grilled chicken. all served with unlimited, freshly-baked cheddar bay biscuits. seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 that fit into your budget and your lunch hour.

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what's your idea of heaven? a little boy from nebraska thinks he has a good idea because he said he's been there. we'll talk to him in a moment. first, his story. ♪ >> reporter: some people have called this god's country. with crimson sunrises and rolling farmlands. imperial, nebraska, population 1,982, is the heartland. it's also where the burpo, todd, the local pastor, sonja and their three kids live. normal in all respects it shaex one. >> a few angels came to pick me up and i was looking at jesus. >> reporter: that's right. their 11-year-old colton has been to jesus. >> then he says the thing that gets their attention. that's when the angels sang to

me, mom . wow. >> reporter: it all started when colton was 4 with a near tragedy. >> we hit a low. we looked at each other. >> reporter: what they thought was the flu was a burst appendix. >> he had it for four days. >> reporter: they were given little hope. >> i remember the doctor not saying anything. you know that was a nightmare. >> reporter: after 17 days in the hospital colton emerged but he was different. he began speaking about things he couldn't possibly know about. his mother's miscarriage. his father's prayers and a visit with his great-grandfather pop. >> i was just sitting by the holy spirit. then this guy comes up to me and says, are you todd's son? i said, yes. he said, well, i'm his grand-father. >> reporter: it led to this book "heaven is forle real."

good morning to all of you. >> good morning. >> colton, i will talk to you in a second, but todd, first they will say this is a pastor, a believer, a man of the cloth. he wants desperately to believe this and he wants others to believe it. that's why this story is out there. how do you respond to people like that? >> at first, we were surprised. we doubted ourselves. we never anticipated to talk to our son about these things. what grabbed my attention is he could tell me where i was while he was in surgery. the surgeon couldn't, my wife couldn't. he could tell me. >> you asked how he knew. he said, i was sitting in jesus' lap as you were doing all these things. >> yes. >> you were both cynical until you started to hear these things. >> exactly. >> some of the other things he said. okay, i'm sitting in jesus' lap. everyone in heaven has wings. mine for smaller than most people's. nobody is old in heaven.

>> i like that part. >> a lot of people like that. >> did you start to share these stories with other people and did anyone say, you folks are crazy? you have been through a traumatic experience. sonja? >> we didn't share at first. once we started sharing, people were amazed and encouraged by what we were sharing with them. >> colton, today you're 11. this happened when you were 4. how vivid are your memories today? can you close your eyes and remember exactly what you think heaven looked like? exactly what jesus looked like? all those things? >> well, i remember most of it. but since time has come by, you forget. >> when you say nobody in heaven is old, they all -- you saw nobody like in their 60s, 70s, 80s up there? >> no. saw them in their 20s, 30s at oldest. >> i think a question a lot of people would like to ask is what

did heaven itself look like? is it the way i talk about it to my kids? is it above the clouds? is everybody floating? what's it like? >> well, there was a lot of colors. there are a lot of people. and a lot of animals. >> you know, i think the story that's going to get people's attention, sonja and todd, is the story that he met the child that you had miscarried. that was a couple years earlier. had you ever told him about that incident? >> not at all. not at all. >> how would you explain it to a 3-year-old that a baby died in your tummy? no. it was something we didn't even share with our friends. >> can you describe the moment he said that to you? >> shocking, but then a relief which she's okay.

we didn't know she was a she. >> tell me about pop, colton. >> well, pop, he was very big, huge wings. he had curly hair, big smile and he was really nice. >> you know, what's amazing is this has become a "new york times" bestseller for nonfiction. is simple explanation is a lot of people want to believe or want to question. >> i think for us, he told us about his sister in heaven and we hadn't told him. another one of those holy cow moments. he can't invent this. no memory was planted, but the pie peace that came other us and the healing that, wow, i have a daughter waiting for me. a lot of people need that hope and healing, too. i think that's what a lot of people are finding when they

hear colton's testimony. >> tell us what you want people to take from this -- a sense of peace prap peace prerhaps? >> hope, healing. >> the book is good morning to you, it is 8:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the latest on nancy pelosi, she was hospitalized in italy for a short time saying she wasn't feeling well. we confirmed she is out of the hospital and resting at her hotel room. it appears she may have been worn out from a trip to afghanistan. in san francisco, the long awapted perjury trial for barry bonds gets under way in a few minutes and dame ontrujillo has

more. he showed up at 7:50 this morning. the lawyers are huddled in the courthouse about to select the jury to decide the fate of barry bonds. he just said good morning and we're here to select the jury. prosecutors say bonds lied to a federal grand jury looking into the steroids investigation. he is facing perjury charges here today. jury selection is expected to last perhaps throughout the rest of the week. we'll keep you posted. 8:27. we'll have weather and traffic after this.

welcome back. despite the rain continuing through the area, watch for thunderstorms, we have no major issues. 680 it's a little slow and an accident just moved to the shoulder, antioch had an accident but smoothing out. another local news update in a half hour. the "today" show returns in less than half a minute. have a good monday morning.

8:30 now on a monday morning. 21st of march, 2011. looking at rainy days and mondays don't have to get you down. folks having a nice time in rockefeller plaza. apologies to these people. natalie didn't want to go out. >> wow. throwing me under the bus.

>> thanks for stopping by. it's nasty out there. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry filling in while meredith is off today. natalie morales and al roker. remember rulon gardener? he won wrestling gold but left the spotlight and ballooned to 474 pounds. now he's trying to get fit again on "the biggest loser." how did he get so out offal control? jenna bush hager caught up with him and he'll share his story. >> okay. >> also the bad economy has put a real strain on a lot of marriages, but instead of divorce some couples are redoubling their efforts to stay married. just ahead, what we can learn from a couple who put their marriage -- pulled their marriage back from the brink. >> plus, we want you to step away from the potato chips. joy bauer is here with healthy snacks that are both tasty and satisfyi satisfying. >> hey, they don't look bad.

>> think roasted edamame. >> i love it. >> all right. well, spring has arrived. that means unfortunately spring allergy season has arrived for you sufferers. we'll talk about the biggest offenders and how to treat them. >> al, how about the weather? >> you know what it's like in the ooegs aeast and out west. snowy out west. warmer than usual from the eastern two-thirds of the country. below normal through new england. mid-week period looking for chilly weather into the plains. much above normal in the mississippi and ohio river valleys. as we get to the latter part of the week it stays messy out west with below temperatures in the northeast through the great lakes with rain and snow around the great lakes. good morning to you. well, we told you we were worried about thunderstorms and we have one that rolled onshore

here. associated with some of these storms we'll see throughout the day, we could see lightning strikes, frequent lightning strikes and heavy downpours and gusty winds. of course the nbc bay area weather team is all over this. showers starting to push back in the north bay and temperatures will end up in the mid-50s. rain stays with us all week long. another strong storm on the way tomorrow. and to keep track of your weather all day long check out weather channel on cable or weather.com online. >> thank you very much, al. up next we have jenna bush-hager catching up with olympic fwogol medalist turned "the biggest lossnse me.ages after these messages. this is your captain speaking, we are fourteenth in line for takeoff.

looks like it's bumper to bumper on the interstate. i gotta get to cleveland! remove your belt, your watch, your shoes. i wonder what gas costs today. seven dollars for a pillow! an extra bag costs what? i hate traffic! ♪ [ child ] the train is now arriving. [ male announcer ] the train has arrived indeed. amtrak guest rewards members earn up to triple points this spring. details at amtrak.com. another unpredictable season on nbc's "the biggest loser," but so far the show's most recognizable contestant is going strong.

"today" contributing correspondent jenna bush hager checked in on rulon gardner. good morning. >> good morning. years after retiring from the sport that made him famous he's still wrestling but now with a life and death struggle against obesity. >> good evening, everyone. >> reporter: it's week 12 of "the biggest loser" and the competition is heating up. rulon gardner is trying to light a fire under that same competitive spirit that earned him an olympic gold medal. >> i'm here to put my life in a position to where i can reset. >> reporter: in 2000 the farm boy from wyoming made his first trip to the olympics as a member of the u.s. wrestling team. >> it became a battle of wills and gardner has a heart the size of the 56-inch chest. >> reporter: gardner stepped into the ring against a russian heavy weight who had never lost in international competition. >> that's it! oh, my? do you believe in miracles again? >> reporter: and pulled off the miracle on the mat.

>> rulon gardner has shocked the wrestling world. >> reporter: four years later in athens, gardner won the bronze and hung up his shoes. >> years of work have brought it down to this special moment and this emotional time for him. >> reporter: when you focus on one goal and reach the goal. you get the gold medal, it seems that's the happiest moment of your life. you have reached the point. so where do you go from there? >> for me i was just happy to be at the olympic games and winning two olympic medals, one bronze, one gold. i'm retired, happy, done. >> reporter: he stopped working out but kept eating like he was in training, especially at night. >> i would consume potentially 5,000 or 6,000 calories, you know, from 10:00 at night until midnight. then i would go up and go to bed. >> reporter: gardner reached his lowest point last year. on a night that should have been

a highlight of his career. his induction into the wrestling hall of fame. >> it was actually a pretty tough night for you. >> i was looking and i realized, you know what, i don't even recognize myself when i watch myself on tv. i felt so ashamed. i made a commitment that night. i had to do something about my weight. if it's this bad in six years, what's going to happen in another ten? >> reporter: carrying 200 pounds more than his olympic weight gardner worried he wouldn't live long enough to start a family with his wife. how big of an inspiration is your wife? >> she's a big part of the reason i want to change my life. i don't want to have a family with her and then in ten years not be here to raise my kids. >> reporter: when gardner arrived at the ranch he weighed in at 474 pounds. >> that's a tragedy. it's horrifying for me and my family. >> reporter: it took a few weeks of poking and prodding --

>> you're an olympic athlete. >> not at 400 [ bleep ] pounds. >> reporter: but his competitive juices are flowing again. he's showing the heart that maid him a champion. >> are some of the other contestants thinking it's not fair that they are competing against an olympic athlete? i would protest against that. >> that was a discussion that we have had numerous times. a lot of their attitude is, you know what, i want to be an olympic champion. i want to beat you. >> one, two, three. [ laughter ] >> i'm tired. >> reporter: gardner said his workouts for "the biggest loser" rival anything he's done to train for the olympics. >> get set. go! >> reporter: halfway through season 11, gardner is feeling good about his chances at winning on the show and in life. >> i don't want to go out there and try to just dominate or master something. i want to learn how to master myself so i can balance my nutrition and my health, so i can live to be 80 years old.

>> reporter: going into week 12 of the competition, rulon weighs 335 pounds. so in less than three months he's lost 139 pounds. matt, he's amazing. >> one of the nicer guys you will meet. what's funny is the picture of him at 474, i don't recognize him. >> he didn't recognize himself. he'd gotten back from mcdonald's, turned on tv and saw himself. >> everybody need as turning point. we appreciate it. a reminder, catch "the biggest loser" tuesday nights 8:00/7:00 central on nbc. up next, a couple who saved their self-described bad marriage will share advice for improving your relationship. first this is "today" on nbc.

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relationships" marriage and money. statistics show the recession is a mixed bag when it comes to the state of matrimony. some couples say they are postponing plans to divorce while others are deepening i are that commitment to marriage. janet shamlian explains. >> reporter: three couples from different walks of life, all with the same problem -- a marriage unraveling. >> tell me how bad it got for you? >> for me? i was so miserable i was planning his funeral on the off chance he would drop dead. >> we would get in fights every day or other day, like screaming match fights. i would be like, oh, is it just better if we get a divorce? he eyde say, i don't know, whatever you want to do. >> i would say, we won't get divorced. we'll just hate each other for the rest of our lives. >> reporter: these couples were struggling with what some say happens to more than half of all marriages. a loss of passion and the growing belief their future

would be spent apart. >> i'm sure you can laugh about it now. how did it feel when you first heard she was planning your funeral, thinking what it would be like if you died? how did that feel? >> i was a little surprised at the depth of her anger. >> reporter: mark can laugh about it because the marriage didn't end in funeral or divorce. like a growing number of couples in america, the bowmans who have a young daughter made a conscious decision to save their marriage. >> over the past two years i have seen more couples coming for counseling to save their marriage. prior to that they were coming in learning how to separate. >> reporter: all three couples worked it out. lisa documented the journey back to being in love in her book "project happily ever after". >> we did a lot of little things and a lot of little things added up to a big improvement. if it was one thing it was changing myself which i never thought would be the case. i really thought he was 100% the

problem. >> we're both happier than we have been. >> we really are. >> busy and just loving life. >> one of the things i have learned to do is listen. >> are there lessons in there for guys? >> it's in your best interest to keep your wife happy. >> reporter: back from the brink. as couples headed for divorce make a u-turn on the road back to happiness. for "today" janet shamlian, nbc news, pennsylvania. >> so, al, alyssa and mark are joining us now. the book is "project happily ever after." and we have the director of drexall university. first talk about your lowest moment. it happened after your daughter was born. >> yes. you know, we were pretty good until we became parents.

having a baby was exhausting. my husband had just opened a business before we had a baby. so he was really not home often. he was working 14-hour days. didn't really have an income. so i was the sole parent, sole bredwinner. became exhausted, depressed, angry. every negative emotion. >> sounds like something a lot of women couldle identify with. what about you, mark? >> i'm not sure there was a lowest moment but we reached a point where we were going through the motions. you know, communicating on a very -- not deep relationship level of where we just kind of went day to day, talking about what we had to do that day rather than dealing with our relationship. >> at one point you started imagining your husband's death. >> yes. >> what switched you around? what made you think, okay, let's work on this? >> i thought we were going towards divorce. in my mind i was mentally planning my escape. i had dinner with a friend who

was divorced and remarried. i ranted about my husband for 45 minutes and i was looking for permission. after the time i finished talking and she just looks at me and she's just like, what have you done to save your marriage? i couldn't answer. i haven't done anything. we hadn't tried counseling. i hadn't tried anything constructive. she made me promise that i would try. so i promised to try everything, even things i thought were silly. >> you started looking at self-hope books. >> yes. >> is this a trend? >> it is. i find that couples are wanting to fight for their marriage more than they have before. the stat is 50% of people are getting divorced but that means 50% are getting married. i can't believe those people never thought about divorce. >> why now? >> sometimes they are thinking the problems i'm having now, i might have the same problems in another relationship. why not fight for the relationship i'm in now? you need two people to do it.

>> you talked to mark. you both agreed to work on it together and you started coming up with things you saw inle self-help books like hugging. like, okay, i don't like this guy, but i will hug him. >> yeah. the hugging exercise wasn't the most important exercise we did. i went at it with an open mind. that was one of the exercises the book suggested. we were supposed to feel a profound connection during the hug. i just felt profoundly bored. there were other things like learning to communicate which i didn't think i had a problem with. i'm a writer. i had a huge problem with communication. >> so part of it is recognizing your own faults. in fact, you have ten steps to happily ever after. find yourself, define your problem, get your spouse on board, stop fighting about old stuff, get busy, learn to romance each other, learn to talk out loud, not too loud, feel understood, write your spouse's eulogy.

whoa. which is the most important? >> for me it was talk out loud, not too loud. i was communicating through the silent treatment, through random acts of ab sabotage. he needed me to talk out loud but not aggressively. i couldn't be assertive without being aggressive. i had to learn it. >> for you, mark? what was important? >> the same thing. a lot of times as a man my wife had difficult communicating with me what she wanted me to do. men expect people to verbalize what you want to do. at certain times she couldn't verbalize. she wouldn't come out and say what she wanted. >> alyssa and mark, i can see that you have your hand on his knee. that's a good sign. thank you so much. up next, healthy food finds that your family will love. first this is "today" on nbc. ♪ have a good daisy

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♪ this morning on joy's he wille think food finds, crunchy sn snacks and sweet treats. how do you know which healthy options your family will enjoy? joy bauer is here with nutritious picks that were taste-tested and family approved. >> hey, matt. >> what's the criteria here? how healthy?

>> all the items have wholesome ingredients, nothing artificial, low in saturated fat with reasonable amounts of sugar and salt depending upon what the product is. most importantly they have been taste tested and have gotten two thumbs up from adults and kids. >> and you don't have to go to specialty stores for a lot of them. >> most major supermarkets. >> in full disclosure you have been working with me on getting more nutritious snacks in my day. a lot of these things i have tried. >> you have. >> the wonder of edamame. >> seapoint farms and most of them know them by the little soybeans in a japanese restaurant. they are roast into a crunchy snack that's totable, shelf stable with twice the protein, twice the fiber and fewer calories than nuts. these are gems. >> if you like peanuts and things, these will hook you in a hurry.

>> there is a lightly salted and a wasabi. i like the hot. >> i love these. sweet potato chips. >> food should taste good. i like them because they have clean ingredients, heart healthy oil and a shot of sweet potato so we have a dose of bet beta carotene good for good skin and vision. >> the first food that comes to mind with healthy isn't pretzels, but these are healthier versions of what people snack on. >> most pretzels are refined white flour. it's like eating a handful of white bread. i'm excited that snyder's has a new organic whole grain line. there are three versions. pick which flavor you want. look for "organic" and you will know it's the line that'sle whole grain. about 9 to 10 sticks is a serving. you can eat them plain or dip

them in hummus, bean dip or salsa. >> goldfish that the kids love to snack on and parents often take a handful as well. kids and parents will like these. >> this is cool. kids flip for the fun shape. it's a clever strategy for parents. spread it with nut butter. great snack on the go. >> tell me about the granola bars. >> i like all the flavors from the hard crunchy two-pack from nature valley. these are the new kids. oats and dark chocolate. >> chocolate's okay? >> it is in this. cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips. the perfect way to satisfy. better than a candy bar. >> what's the most important thing there? >> whole grain, oats. always remember you want your bar under 200 calories, less than 2 grams of saturated fat and at least 2 grams of fiber. >> this is a frozen banana on a stick covered in chocolate sp. t

>> it's delicious. diana's bananas frozen dark chocolate bananas. >> and it comes in milk. >> get the dark for the health perks. there is nothing artificial. clean, whole some ingredients. it's a nice dessert. >> is the milk chocolate as good or -- >> it's not, but it's still portion controlled. dark chocolate! >> you still get the banana. >> half of a real banana. >> last is pudding which is a favorite for wkids but this has something extra. >> this is koze shack. no artificial colors, dies or sweeteners and it has two grams of fiber. thanks to low fat milk, calcium, vitamin b and protein. they're delicious. >> great, joy. thank you very much. >> thanks sh matt. >> more ahead after your local

news. good morning, everyone, it's 8:56. i'm scott mcgrew, let's get right to christina. >> we're watching the pop-up thunderstorms taking shape and a little bit of lightning, we're not taking any chances, we're watching the weather closely. we want to show you where they

are, a little cell pushing onshore, in the next 15 to 20 minutes. we saw this thunderstorm collapse to the north of half noon bay. you need to know we've got a conducive atmosphere for the formation of thunderstorms throughout the day today. we could be in for another round of severe weather. we're watching it closely and we'll continue to throughout the day. chief meteorologist will be in early today. we've got rain chances each and every day this week. finally looks like a bit of a break as we head into next week, scott. i hope you can wait until then. >> back to the "today" show. ♪ [ female announcer ] unlock the potential of nature

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47,000 for each inmate. nbc bay area believes successful reentry programs for nonviolent offenders should be rolled out statewide. early intervention. share your thoughts at nbc ed back now with more of "today" on a monday morning, 21st of march, 2011. first full day of spring but snowing in greenwich, connecticut. all right. march is a month that you never know. >> one of the biggest blizzards ever was in march. >> but spring is coming. that's the big point. it's here but the good weather is coming. >> yes. >> just a matter of time. >> by july. >> inside studio 1a, matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. coming up, the latest on libya as part of the u.s. coalition force missiles hit targets inside the country while moammar gadhafi remains defiant.

>> on a different note closer to home and just in time for spring, everything you need to know about allergies, matt. millions already suffer from stuff any nose, itchy eyes and the cough that can come as everything starts to bloom. over the last 20 years all the incidents of allergies have doubled. we'll get information for you with and without medication coming up. >> also, divorce can be tough on all areas of life from parenting to emotional health and for women, the finances takes a beating. the average divorce costs in $27,000. splitting up can be a lesson in financial hard knocks. jean chatzky will tell you how to protect your cash in the event of a split. >> before that natalie is at the news desk with the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. the pentagon is calling the u.s.-led aerial assault on libya this weekend very effective and says the strikes sent moammar

gadhafi's forces scrambling. now we have word that gadhafi is back on the offensive this morning. jim maceda has the latest from tripoli. good morning. yes, that's right. libya's third largest city of misrata has been under attack by gadhafi forces who were hit by coalition strikes and did go scrambling yesterday. now there are report that is tanks and snipers entered the city center and fighting has killed at least seven people, according to our latest figures. meanwhile the troops have now changed out of their uniforms and into street clothes, looking very much like civilians. they have even been joined by hundreds of other gadhafi supporters who are acting as human shields. meanwhile, gadhafi himself has not been seen publically here since friday. he has recorded a couple of defiant messages that aired on state tv. he may be hunkered down in a bunker, perhaps not in his tripoli compound which we now

know was hit by a cruise missile last night. natalie? >> jim, thank you. this morning as well the four new york times journalists detained in libya were released into the custody of turkish diplomats escorting them out of libya. they were detained by gadhafi's forces. workers were evacuated from the crippled fukushima daiichi power plant overnight after smoke was spotted rising from a reactor again. meantime officials say the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami could top 18,000 and estimate that it could take five years and $235 billion to rebuild the ravaged northeast of japan. president obama is directing u.s. military action against libyale while continuing his trade mission to south america. a national security team accompanied him in brazil sunday where he played soccer with children from a violence-ravaged slum. today in chile he's holding his

first news conference to answer questions about the libya assault. a woman accused of running away to africa after four children died in a fire at her houston day care center returns to the u.s. today. 22-year-old jessica tata s surrendered and faces manslaughter charges. last month's fire broke out while she left the children alone to go shopping. $19 million was the limit at the box office this weekend for number one thriller "limitless" starring bradley cooper. "rango" was second and "battle los angeles" was third. born just a few years after the wright brothers first plane took flight at kittyhawk, freddie mac decided to celebrate his 100th birthday by jumping out of a plane. taking the plunge with him, his cardiologist who says mac is in great health and isn't slowing down any time soon. good for him.

now back to ann, matt and al. i guess you may as well have your cardiologist with you. >> no question. exactly right. >> good landing there. >> tonight he's at a rave. >> go for it. >> mr. roker, how about a check of the weather? >> let's show you what's going on. for today we have rough stuff in the westst east. big storm system making its way through the northeast bringing mountain snows and snow into new england. in the pacific northwest, more heavy rain. later today a risk of strong storms back through the central plains and this afternoon we have a risk in the mid ohio river valley for more of the strong weather systems working their way through. good morning to you. we're starting to see pretty consistent showers streaming onshore and a few pop-up thunderstorms that really raise our eyes around here in the nbc by area weather department. those are thunderstorm cells and

we have noticed a couple making their way onshore like in half moon bay. 56 degrees in oakland. more rain on the way for the second half of tomorrow. we'll get a dry break for the first half of your tuesday. latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. on "today's health" allergies 101. spring is here and so is hay fever season. allergies can be a reaction to many airborne triggers. nearly 36 million americans suffer allergies, twice as many as 20 years ago. even those who think they are unaffected may be at risk. dr. kerry peterson is a contributor to "women's health" magazine. good morning. >> good morning. >> ale ji season is here. we can feel it already. what are allergies? starting with the basics here. >> well, allergies are when your immune system overreacts to harmless substances like pollen and creates an anti-body called ige which attacks them.

the ige makes histamine which is the culprit for all the symptoms we see. >> what are the most common triggers then? >> this time of year, early spring we are going to be seeing airborne allergens like mold and moll leng pollens from grass, weeds and trees. all year long you can see it to dust mites and pet dander. >> the number of allergy sufferers has more than doubled in 20 years. why is that? >> we're not sure but there are theories. the more popular is the hygiene theory. it's thought that the overuse of anti-bacterials may understimulate children's immune systems, preventing them from appropriately responding to substances. when they do respond they overreact. other theories are possibly global warming which may cause pollen to last longer throughout the season. pollution, which raises the dust content in the environment. and poorly ventilated homes

which traps dust mites in the house. >> let's look at some of the allergy symptoms as we put them on screen. how do you tell them apart from your typical symptoms of a cold? a lot of them look like those of a cold? >> that's a great question. there is a lot of overlap. people are confused but there are characteristic symptoms with each. first off, colds rarely last longer than 14 days whereas allergies can last weeks to months. red, itchy eyes are characteristic of allergies but you don't see them with colds while fevers and aches you see with colds but you never see them with allergies. if you're still not sure your doctor can do skin testing to diagnose. >> when you said over-the-counter histamines are the way to treat them, what else can you do if that's not doing enough? >> there are drug-free options. first, saline rinses irrigate the natal passages.

there is a product called allergen block which claims to prevent the allergen going into the passages. then for pharmaceutical options we have nasal steroid sprays, good old over-the-counter decongestants, nasal anti-histamine sprays your doctor can prescribe. >> can you use these things daily? is there a problem if you use them too much? >> you can use them daily for extended periods. they have been found to be safe. >> what about permanent solutions for allergy sufferers? anything you can do to get rid of them? >> if you're not responding to over-the-counter or prescriptions and allergy symptoms are severe you are a candidate for shots. this is when the doctor injects little bits of the allergen under the skin and you develop a tolerance. it takes years for the tolerance to develop. but the benefits are long lasting. >> does it work? >> most -- not 100%.

>> nothing's 100%. >> but it is effective. >> what are tips to reducing ale ji -- allergy similar tomas as well? >> check the pollen count at sites like airnow.gov. if that index is over a hundred, stay inside. while inside, be sure to close the windows and consider getting air conditioning with a filter. if you are outdoors gardening or hiking, change your clothes when you come inside or you can track pal length all over the house. -- pollen. wash in hot water. wear sunglasses to prevent pollen from getting on your eyes. and avoid abrasive soaps. allergens penetrate the skin more easily. >> thank you so much dr. peterson. hopefully you will ease allergies out there. up next, how to keep your cash when your going through a divorce. jean chatzky has great advice.

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this morning on "today's money" how to keep your cash during a divorce. splitting up can be costly and one that leaves women particularly vulnerable. there are things you can do now to minimize danger later. jean chatzky wrote an article on the subject for "more" magazine. good to see you. >> nice to see you. >> this is a tough time. it's not only emotions but finances as well. >> and you're best off if you put the emotions off to the side and realize that the end of the marriage is a business transaction. you need to get through it as if emotions don't play a role at all. >> you say the first step is to protect your interests before you even file for divorce. >> right. a big question is should you take money out of the bank, put it in a separate account where you know that you will have it in order to pay your bills and keep living. it's a problem because a judge in that instance can look at you and say, if you moved money

without telling your spouse how am i supposed to trust you? the better thing to do is keep a really good paper trail. make sure you not only have online access to the bank accounts so you canal follow the money, but you kept printouts from before the divorce throughout so you can pretty much show where the money has gone. >> should you move money? >> you know, only if you have to. the risk is that the judge will say, put it back. a better thing to do is have your lawyer freeze the joint account after you initiate the action. then fund two separate accounts from that money so you have enough to live on. >> most people think, okay, i need a lawyer. you say you need to assemble a team. >> you need more than a lawyer. you need an accountant who can look at the different assets -- or a financial adviser -- and tell you what to keep and what to get rid of. a lot of people are talking about forensic accountants. they are the detectives who follow the trail of money.

if you feel that money is being hidden from you, that there are assets you don't know about, you may want to consider one of these, but only if the dollar figures are high because they are expensive to hire. >> i was going to say, talk about trying to keep your cash in a divorce. but these legal bills and financial bills can really start piling up. >> right which is why if you're not fighting you're so much better off looking at mediation, collaborative divorce just to reduce legal fees in general. >> you say one of the things especially as we come up toward income tax time to consider the value of assets after taxes. >> right. because different assets are worth different things to different people based on their tax rate. if you and i were getting divorced which would never, never happen. >> no, no. >> but you have a higher tax bracket than i do. the assets, the money in the retirement account are worth less to you because you have to pay more taxes on that money.

that's what you want to think about when you're deciding which assets to take or give to yourself. >> you talk about budgeting. think about when you will need the money. >> right. if you have money in a retirement account we talk about why you should never take money out of a 401-k. if you have to pull it out before retirement you lose 30% in taxes and penalties. if you need cash to live take actual cash rather than retirement account assets or other things like a house that are illiquid. >> the house, i mean, it's your home. a lot of people have a lot of emotion and the fight can escalate. you say think of this to take the emotion out of it. >> it's very, very difficult to do. having been through a divorce, if i can just encourage people not to think of this home but creating a home that you can actually afford to live in, that's a big thing. it's not the value of the house

itself. it's whether you can continue to pay the mortgage, the taxes and insurance and, by the way, fix the roof when it goes. >> it's not a bad thing in some instances to let it go. >> absolutely not. if you can get over the hurdle, bank some cash and live a little bit leaner after your divorce you will be a much happier person. >> on a different note, when there are kids involved, how much of this do you shield them from? >> as much as you can. particularly if you are fighting with your ex-spouse. the goal from divorce is that your children can have really good relationships with both parents no matter what has gone on between them. if you can keep it level, keep the playing field level and not fight as much as possible it will be better for the kids in the end. >> not to use the kids as a financial pawn either. >> absolutely not. you talked about the team you need in divorce. a lot of people believe a

therapist should be a part of the team. if you can afford it, it's a good thing to add. >> jean, thank you very much. >> sure. >> coming up, prince william wows them down under. we'll get details after these messages. [ woman ] i had this deep, radiating pain everywhere... and i wondered what it was. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can do more with the ones i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions.

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good morning to you, it is 9:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. the san francisco unified school district has one less option to provide affordable housing for its teachers. officials say the demand for child care in the area is very high. the district has one other property at mission street to develop, a recent report says nearly one-third of san francisco public school teachers live outside the city. san francisco leaders are holding a hearing to restrict the distribution of the yellow pages. board of supervisors wants to require distributors to ask

businesses if they want a copy before leaving it on doorsteps, the president says the proposal will reduce waste and city cost and he has a similar plan which has not been voted on yet. the meeting will take place at 1:00 at city hall. we'll be right back.

welcome back. good monday morning to you. we're watching pretty strong thunderstorms pass through the bay area. they are moving quickly but you can see they contain quite a bit of rainfall. rain rates greater than an inch per minute. and you want to keep that in mind, travel cautiously. we could also see lightning, pea-sized hail. the bit of good news is this low pressure still will continue along the california loest line. as it does so, it will take the severe weather out of our neck of the woods and bring it to southern california. we're watching for them today. you don't want to drop your guard. take it easy and understand the

fact we have thunderstorms across the area as we head through the next few hours and this afternoon. let's check your drive right now. for sure you're talking about hitting 101, slow through that area you showed. the san mateo bridge shows the effect of the rain. you can see the wet roadway as well. as we continue south, interstate 5 is open across the grapevine but this is interstate 80 through the sierra. a lot of snow there and chains required. highway 88 has reopened. trying to get my interstates sorted out. >> maybe it's frozen like the snow on the tree. beautiful out there. more local news update for you in a half hour. "today" show back in less than a minute.

♪ in just 39 days prince william will officially make kate middleton his bride. you can bet the whole world will be watching. today however the prince is a world away from his fiancee on official business visiting areas in australia devastated by a cyclone and floods this year. there are hints that he and kate may honeymoon down under. >> oh. >> we'll get to the gossip after this. >> if he has prewedding jitters i don't think he showed any of

that as he joked with the crowds and seemed to lift spirits there. they need that. also lifting spirits because a lot of us are looking forward to the wedding. also ahead, something to lift your mood. how to look like you have lost ten pounds in ten seconds, all by putting on the right clothing. from jeans to dresses we have the latest styles with built-in shapewear. >> hmm. i'm wearing pants just like that. >> wearing your manx? >> you don't need them, al roker. >> those could come in handy after you try some chicken fried steak sliders. >> there we go. that's a segue. >> we giveth and we taketh away. we'll learn how to take them from chef robert ali. >> you can eat anything you want. >> sounds like fun. first a check of the weather. >> with a side of grease. let's show you what's going on for the week ahead. it will be wet and snowy out west with below normal

temperatures. above normal for the eastern two-thirds of the country with rain in the interior states. the chilly weather spreads to the northeast and the plains. much above normal conditions along the midatlantic coast. above normal in the midwest. the latter part of the week much above normal temps through the southeast. rain and cooler weather out west. snowshowers in northern new england and parts of the great lakes. good morning to you. we are watching some of these pop-up thunderstorms travel across the bay area. there's one situated right over union city. travel cautious over 880. we'll continue to see more of this activity through the afternoon. low pressure is is the reason why. it's situated just off the coast and will continue to travel south along the california coast line as we head throughout the day today. before we hit i'd say about 5:00 p.m. tonight we'll be under the gun and a threat of severe thunderstorms will be out there.

take it easy. here. let's show you greenwich, connecticut. >> oh! >> but the good news is it's not snowing in new york city -- oh. >> there are some flakes here. >> first full day of spring. >> oh, well. warm weather is coming. >> there you go. >> coming up next, we're going to show you fashion looks to help you look slimmer and younger right after this. e're a mortgage company with one very simple philosophy: every client, every time, no exceptions, no excuses. maybe that's why j.d. power and associates ranked us "highest in customer satisfaction in the united states." so, we thought we'd take a little time to celebrate. ♪ all right, then, back to work helping clients. outstanding client service. just one more example of how everything we do at quicken loans is engineered to amaze.

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make you look and feel younger. the author of "how to never look fat again" joins us. hi charla. >> i always say you can look thinner by dinner. you don't have to wear supportive underwear underneath unless you really want to do it up. >> most of us think of shapewear as the undergarments or spanx you wear. but you're wearing a dress that's shapewear. >> do you believe this dress has shapewear in it? this is by sleek international. this is the regular slip. >> uh-oh. she's pulling up her skirt. >> this is mesh and it's holding me in. normally on "today" i wear my heavy artillery but not today. >> we'll talk first about jeans. denim has really embraced the idea of building in shapewear. taking a look at our first model we have kate in her own clothes

before. >> kate is an actress. she runs around in jeans for auditions. but look at this. she has a lot of middle issues like we all do as we age. this top does nothing for her. and these jeans are doing nothing for her. they do not flatter her body at all. this is a big no, no. >> a big x. >> just a horrible outfit. >> let's bring out kate. poor kate. >> she's remodelled now. >> the new and improved. >> a yummy tummy top and miracle body jeans. look at the difference, everybody. she looks thin and slim. >> that's right. >> these jeans have two times the amount of spandex that any other jean has in them. then this top has a panel inside so it is holding in her tummy issues. >> let's clear here. yeah. a huge improvement. i'm sure she feels better as

well. the miracle body jeans are different from a regular pair of jeans? >> two times the amount of spandex and support in them. when you put your body in it you're putting yourself in ale litt -- a little piece of shapewear, bike shorts in the jeans. >> good luck on the auditions. next item is a dress. first we have elise in her own outfit. what's the problem? >> she lost 70 pounds which is amazing. >> good for her. >> look at this area. there is not much definition in her waist. right here even though she's working out like crazy she's got to do something to fix this waistline. this dress does nothing. >> let's bring elise out in her new shapewear outfit. >> i love this. >> this is a fantastic, very fashionable dress. >> it has lace overlay from shape fx.

it really holds her in. so no matter what she's -- i mean, she really looks thin here. we put a little belt in here. you can really cinch in the waist. it controls her and gives her the thinnest possible body you can have. i love the way she looks. >> amazing. congratulations. 70 pounds. that deserves applause. well done to you. that's a beautiful dress. thank you. next item is a top. we'll first look at brett in her own weekend attire. >> she has a great body. you cannot tell from this picture because everything looks big and lumpy. the pants, oh, my gosh. terrible. no shape at all. >> looks like she's going to the gym. >> it does. >> if you want to be more fashion-forward. >> she has an ample bust so a shirt like this is doing nothing for her. >> okay. >> so we want to show you what she should look like. >> what she does look like when

you put her in the shapewear workout gear. >> amazing. >> it is beautiful. >> this is a great outfit just for hanging around the house. these pants, as soon as i saw the pants i have been wearing these. these are by maidenform. they have a bike short built in. they hold you in and the top is from spanx. so the v-cheneck. wear the v-neck. it's the most flattering top. it holds brett in, gives her shape. >> this is the hourglass look. >> it holds her in on the sides, too. she looks amazing. >> looks great. thank you, brett. the next item is a skirt. first we have latoya in her own outfit. what's wrong with the picture? >> latoya is an editor at my book publishing company. look how baggy the shirt is. this has no shape at all. the skirt is terrible for her. >> right. >> no definition. where is the hourglass?

come on. >> where is it? latoya, show us what you look like now. >> she also lost 50 pounds and looks amazing. >> wow, great. >> you cannot see the shape in the first picture. so here, look at this. sexy, sexy. >> great skirt. tell me about it. >> the skirt is from fx. it's like a pencil-shaped skirt. it gives you control from the hips to the thighs. the top is yummy tummy. it is so flirty and fun you would never know there is shapewear underneath there. i just love the way she looks. we put a little belt here to give her more definition. cinch the waist more. this is a great cocktail or work look. she looks fantastic. >> great job. ladies, come on out quickly. one last look here. they look amazing. >> i love that. >> i'm impressed with the world of shapewear. >> it's a revolution. >> truly something special. aren't we lucky that we live in

a time where we have all this help. >> you don't have to suck it in anymore. they do it for you. >> thank you. >> up next, prince william on a visit down under. we'll show you what he's been up to right after this. goals for the future... what if they were stolen from you? by alzheimer's. this cruel disease is the sixth leading cause of death, and affects more than 5 million americans. the alzheimer's association is taking action, and has been a part of every major advancement. but we won't rest until we have a cure. you have dreams... help the alzheimer's association protect them. act now, go to alz.org. as the towel used to dry them. so why use the same hand towel over and over instead of a clean, fresh one every time? kleenex® brand hand towels. a clean, fresh towel every time. kleenex® brand hand towels. can getting enough vegetables make you feel good?

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prince william has wrapped up his visit to new zealand and australia as he prepares for the royal wedding in 39 days. nbc's sarah james has followed his trip every step of the way and joins us from melbourne with more on this. hey, g'day, sarah. >> it's a painful assignment, ann, but somebody had to do it. you're right, prince william is on his way back to london at this hour after a whirlwind tour of some areas hard hit by

natural disasters here in australia. now, throughout his visit, the prince's charm has captivated. in fact, you might call him william the conquerer. >> reporter: it was a greeting fit for a rock star. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: as prince william hopscotched across eastern australia from town to devastated town, thousands jammed the streets for a peek at the future king just weeks before his wedding. desperate to meet the prince with the golden touch. >> he shook my hand. i was so happy! >> he actually talked to me! >> reporter: but there was a more somber side to prince william's whirlwind tour. this visit down under, a chance to meet families whose lives have been turned upside down by a cyclone and a devastating series of floods which claimed 35 lives. at this farm, three hours north of melbourne, the renn family got to meet the prince but fretted over what to serve him. >> we don't have running water

or power. can't just sit down and pour the kettle and make a cup of tea or a coffee. it's a bit challenging. >> reporter: flying into one hard hit town, the prince himself took the throttle of the sea king helicopter, the same craft he flies in the u.k. as a search and rescue pilot. he listened to the story of melody willis and her premature twins evacuated by the royal flying doctor group just before the cyclone struck. >> that will be a good thing to tell the girls later in life. >> reporter: the prince and fiancee kate middleton dedicated the doctors group to a charity to which wedding guests can donate. elsewhere, the kennedy sisters, one of whom lost her home in the flood made it clear they are part of the will fan club. >> it's great that prince william is here before the wedding. >> reporter: for british photographer arthur edwards this trip was especially poignant.

it was 28 years ago this weekend that he snapped this picture of the prince on his first visit to australia with mom, princess diana, and dad, prince charles. >> it was a photo feast. it was the start of the tour and the pictures were magnificent. now when william has a child and brings him to australia that will be full circle. and speaking of the prince returning to australia, there are reports in the australian media that he's quoted as -- back here for his honeymoon with fiancee kate middleton. now, ann, you know i got married in australia. i say there is a lot to recommend, but whether or not that's going to come to pass and he'll take his honeymoon here is hard to know. exactly where he goes is as closely guarded a secret as who is making kate's dress. ann? >> i'm sure if it's reportable, you will be the one to report

it. thank s thanks for your report this morning. coming up next, not the breakfast of champions but definitely tasty. we're talking

this morning on "today's kitchen" easy as 123. we're making sliders with chef ali. he was cooking for his family at 8. by the time he was 15 he was working in a professional kitchen. he's now the consulting chef of new york city's avenue restaurant, runs his own catering company. good to see you. >> you as well. >> a little bit of country influence. >> i do a little bit of everything, but today we are doing the state dish of texas, chicken fried steak. >> you're making sliders. >> yes. we're taking what would be a total meal, a big chicken fried steak, biscuit and gravy and condensing it into one bite. >> what steak do you use?

>> this is top round. we take it and cut slices about half an inch thick. >> you have to tenderize this. >> yes. >> you could use the traditional hammer but you like this tool. >> we have the updated tenderizer. this is tenderizer 2.0. this thing beats up the meat too much. you have chunks flying. >> who needs that? >> right. this is a needler. >> it's like aerating your lawn. >> and it pokes holes to allow flavor to perm mate the meat. >> once you have that how do you prep it? >> next step is to salt both sides. a little bit of fresh cracked black pepper. >> right. >> season both sides. after that, we're going to go into seasoned flour. just flour it on both sides. here we have a mixture of eggs and buttermilk. >> dredge that.

>> yes. so it's flour, egg and back in the flour one more time. once it's back in the flour you don't want to go directly into the oil with it. let it sit for 40 minutes and it will look like this. >> then we slide those in. >> right into the oil. >> how hot do you want it? >> about 350 degrees. they cook quickly. >> they're so thin. >> about 30 seconds on each side. >> oh, wow. >> we've got those bad boys going. your next step is the sauce. the white gravy. >> right. >> in this pan -- >> we're running short on time. we're going to have this on the website. why don't we assemble. >> perfect. >> we're going back here. >> here we have our biscuits. i cut them in half like that. just want to take a couple of

steaks, line them up like this. >> oh, my gosh. >> you have the white gravy. >> what's in it? >> it's half & half, roux, fresh-cracked black pepper and a touch of salt. make sure that you finish it off like that. >> fantastic. >> grab some of this. >> a little bit of hot sauce. >> for flavor. >> chef, thank you so much. >> oh, my. these are amazing. >> recipe on

good morning, everyone, it's 9:56. the main road between northern and southern california is back open this morning. the chp had closed the section

of highway 5 known as the great vine at 7:00 last night. heavy snow made the impassable. the highway again just reopened a few minutes ago, a high wind advisory on highway 5 through fresno county. members of the santa cruz community are coming together tonight to discuss the danger of a future tsunami and how to prepare for it. in video you well remember when a tsunami caused an estimated $26 million in damage to the santa cruz harbor. tonight's meeting is part of the national tsunami awaredness week. it will be held in the community room in the santa cruz police department from 7:00 to 9:00. let's check in with christina. >> good morning to you, scott. the goo news is the bulk of the moisture is pushing southant pop-up storms are going along with it. we have a little activity that

does concern us though, watching a pretty significant cell if you're waking up in that la honda, make sure you travel cautiously. low pressure saddling down the coast line. this will bring the active weather into southern california. we've already seen dangerous cells pushing onshore down there. it's heading out of the bay area. that means we'll get a break from the rain and it will last into tomorrow morning and then we have another round on the way tomorrow night. let's check your drive in the east bay and everybody elsewhere mike inouye. talk about the rain heading south, the reason for the slowing is not because of the rain but an earlier accident which has cleared. we're also watching highway 1 along towards monterey because of earlier mudslides. the peninsula, highway 101. this is not new, slow south from san mateo down to palo alto. the bay bridge toll plaza not too bad. we lost the signal.

fog still going on. >> more news in just a bit. the "today" show comes back in a minute. never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days. 60 miles in 3 days-- i can do that. 60 miles compared to what a cancer patient goes through is a walk in the park. from the moment i registered, people started immediately supporting me. we had an outpouring of-- of support. i wanted to do something bigger than myself. the 60 miles-- it makes a statement. i know i'm stronger than i was before, both mentally and physically. i walk with my sister. our relationship has gone to a whole new level because of training together. you meet the most wonderful, inspiring people. i knew that there was something really special about this event. when you accomplish those 60 miles, it's truly life-changing. it was three days of hope. of love. of empowerment.

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this miracle called spring. >> this is what's happening in our area. this is greenwich, connecticut right now. on the first day of spring, it's snowing. >> that's cody's high school. but he's off in southern california. he's much smarter than his mother. >> first of all, welcome back. it's so nice to look left and see you. >> you had a cacophony of chaos here last week, didn't you? >> tell me about your week. >> i flew back to seattle. i probably haven't been to seattle in 30 years. the last time i was there, the space needle was the tallest building. i can't believe how much it's grown. and yet it's grown in a beautiful way, you know? and that air, the minute you get off the airplane, you smell that pacific northwest air. it's beautiful. i had never been to the theater that we're going to be doing

"saving amy" at in the fall. it's called fifth avenue and it's got an incredible reputation. you never know. you're going to be bursting a baby in a theater, you know. not every show that opens there goes to broadway, but they have an amazing track record. "hairspray" went to broadway ndk won the tony. right now, "catch me if you can" which i've heard wonderful things about. >> it's a big deal to have your show work out of that theater. that's a big, big deal. it was in the local papers -- >> it's a thrill. i've been writing this thing since the 1800s and it's just taken forever, so we start our workshop for it today for the next month right here in new york. after that i get on a plane and i go down to l.a. to meet the --

with cass. she's going to be looking at colleges. you have your little baby, and the next thing you know, she's looking at schools. she hasn't made up her mind. >> that's going to be weird, isn't it, the first -- >> no, because mommy will be with her, too. >> in her dorm room. >> yes. the weather was beautiful, and saw my son who turns 21 tomorrow. i know. i know. a lot of people remember when he was born, and, you know -- >> i can't believe that. >> don't blink. your kids are gone, they're grown. 6'4", 210 pounds. >> he has one more year of school. >> yes. >> you weren't done yet. >> then cass and i took the red-eye down to florida where she is spending her spring break. i just got back yesterday and then went into a recording session until 1:30 this morning on the other show we're working on called "it's a wonderful life." so forgive my boys, but i'm on a

creative role. i'm just having a ball. it's exhausting in a wonderful way. remember when you were a little kid and you couldn't wait to get out to do the thing -- and your mother couldn't get you in for dinner because you just loved what you were doing so much. and you knew you would be exhausted but you would deal with that later. >> remember we had lunch with doug morris a while ago, and he said -- because he has a new job, he said, i was so excited i couldn't sleep. it felt like christmas eve. and that feeling as a grown-up that you can have that excited, i can't sleep feeling. >> he's been top man in the universal movie group forever. he just left to go over and do the same thing at sony, but you're right, he's like a little kid. >> while you were gone, we totally got slaughtered. esquire did this march madness thing with the sexiest women. in the very first round, we were up against sofia vergara.

>> that is just not fair. >> first she had 90%, we had 1. tended up we got 15% and she got 85%. >> between us that's 7.5% each. i'm just happy to be in a picture next to her. >> we talked about it every single day. >> you didn't have long enough. years and years ago, cody had just been born and tv guide was having their most beautiful woman on television award. my assistant had told me about it on a friday night. i called my top guy, bobby. i said, bobby, have an apple pie ready for me, have an american flag and something else. monday i come back and they announce the contest. i've got my vote for me, a vote for apple pie, a mother in the american way, right? i had a picture of cody.

the next day i baked brownies for everyone in the studio. the next day i came in from outside in a convertible, frank driving, me in the convertible, holding cody in his diaper, turned cody on his diapered butt that said, "vote for my mom." it was shameless, it was ridiculous. >> and? >> i beat jaclyn smith by 15,000 votes. tv guide was so mad that i ruined their contest. it was a joke! i sent flowers to jaclyn that said to the most beautiful woman on tv. i'm so sorry. it's so silly! just to be in a picture next to sofia. >> and we do love her. if you looked up on saturday night, you saw a spectacular

sight. it was -- they called it the supermoon or the mega moon or whatever it was. it's the biggest moon, because it's closer to the earth than it's been in many, many years. it's 50% bigger and 30% brighter. >> look at that. >> i mean, look at gainesville. >> it was unbelievable. i saw it in florida, and there's nothing but palm trees where we are, and there's no big buildings or anything, so it was just -- look at that with the plane going through. >> you know what, i didn't see it and i was out. >> were you drunk? >> no, but the buildings in new york are so big and towering. it was a beautiful shot of it by the empire state building, which i didn't see. i'm not even sure i was in new york. >> the moon is everywhere. >> it's still big. it doesn't go small immediately the next day. >> you've had a couple big moon nz yomoons

in your life, believe me. i've seen the guys you've dated. >> is this a new one? >> here's the thing. i picked two apps, okay? the first one is called "around me." the best thing about this -- >> so you can find a straunlt around yo -- restaurant around you? >> just click on hotels. it shows you -- choose that -- i did. what's going on? here, here, here, here, here. it shows you the map, where it is, how to get there. let's say you're walking down the street and you need an atm. you hit atm, it tells you exactly where it is, and the other one is scrabble. i can't stop playing it. >> mine has to be delivered.

my dear friend knows that you have a huge problem. il it's called the mobile office. so here is your mobile office. it's by a woman named ellen madlyn. a pocket for everything you need. this playbill is from three weeks ago, hoda. unbelievable. there is a place for your keys, there's room for your running shoes, your bowling ball, everything you carry around all the time. >> what about my ziploc! >> i think it's $250. >> does it come in any other colors? >> i believe it does. ellenapp.com. >> how nice of ellen. >> there you are, you are all set. >> my favorite thing is this go-to thing. you can do exercises on t but

she suggests all day long you sit on it. it forces you to exercise at your desk. i sit on it all day at my office and my abs -- this is like a booster seat. >> thank you, sara, darling. coming up next, we're going to the "jersey shore" with vinnie. >> next, charlie sheen, the singing sensation rebecca black.

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instead of a clean, fresh one every time? kleenex® brand hand towels. a clean, fresh towel every time. we have today's buzz from charlie sheen to rebecca black. we're talking about the latest in hollywood and beyond. >> gossip grams, ro -- rosanne coletti. >> there are rumors that cbs may actually take charlie back. >> yes. the president wants him back and wants the business to happen. charlie is making money, and now he's out making more money on this tour he's got. >> apparently they have said,

leave charlie to them. regardless of the statements he made about chuck lorre and that business, he said just leave him to us. >> chuck lorre is going to continue to be the executive producer on that show, i would think, he's the creator of it. i think this sends a horrendous message to america. you can act the way you do and we will reward you for it beyond your wildest dreams. >> apparently his family is tired of it because emili emilio estevez apparently said that he needs to take him out on a boat and take care of him. >> this video of rebecca black is catchy and annoying.

i like the song, i don't care what anyone says. how many hits does it have? >> it's up to 39 hits this morning. >> let's play it so kathie can hear it. ♪ ♪ it's friday, friday, got to get down on friday. >> it's friday. >> then comes saturday and sunday after that. >> years ago i was doing something with shuckie green. and he would joke about this guy who couldn't remember the lyrics. you know what the song was? ♪ it's saturday night, saturday night. >> simon cowell thinks she's genius. he may have her on the x factor and the jonas brothers actually copied the song last night. they did it in their concert in

l.a. >> i wish her all the best. she's probably a talented girl. but isn't it the big thing that she's getting so much criticism because her parents made this happen for her or something? >> they did. they spent $2,000, they hired a company that made this video. >> that was something like what justin bieber did. it's a home video and it's getting equal billing. >> there is a jealousy factor. >> but she's on the itunes chart. she hit number 19. they're making money from this song now. >> i don't think this is one of those drive-by, ain't it terrible. >> there is nothing wrong with a parent helping their kid's dreams come true. the problem is when the parents dream the dreams for the kids. there is a difference. >> salina gomez and justin

bieber -- >> they've been tweeting over the weekend, and they think they're being compared to her and they're all alike. look at her, she looks a lot like demi lovato. >> she is one gorgeous girl and classy and smart. >> miley cyrus is hitting the road. >> she separated herself from the fray. she's going to south america, peru and eduador. >> just on a concert tour? >> they must have gotten hannah montana down there. >> they're trying to promote her last album, but i think it's interesting she's not starting here in the states or europe. and also, she did say last june that she was going to concentrate on movies. she wanted to give up her music for a while, so what made the turnaround? >> isn't it true that the

father, billy, they're trying to reconcile? >> yes. he keeps saying, what was i thinking, i was very upset at the time. maybe she feels comfortable enough to go on tour now. >> we wish her all the best. >> we really do. coming up, it's a rap for the third season of "jersey shore." vinnie is here. his acting debut is whatwoisrlde world is talking about. first, these messages. nourishment down from the sky. and kids don't jump into pools of high-fructose corn syrup. or play in fountains of sugar on a hot summer day. water is the pure choice... for your mind and body. so drink better, live better. embrace the pure life. nestle pure life. don't suffer waiting for your pills to kick in. add alaway.

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pristiq is a prescription medicine proven to treat depression. pristiq is thought to work by affecting the levels of two chemicals in the brain -- serotonin and norepinephrine. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in mood, behavior, or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. pristiq is not approved for children under 18. do not take pristiq with maois. taking pristiq with nset pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. tell your doctor about all your medications, including those for migraine, to avoid a potentially life threatening condition. pristiq may cause or worsen high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or glaucoma. tell your doctor if you have heart disease, or before you reduce or stop taking pristiq. side-effects may include nausea, dizziness and sweating. for me, pristiq is a key in helping me treat my depression. ask your doctor about pstiq.

unless you've been hiding under the boardwalk, you know this man as one of the popular breakdown stars on the show "jersey shore." >> vinnie is taking the cast where they've never gone before. he's here with us today and he's about to start a new series. >> so you had to learn for this episode, i would imagine. was there a lot of script to learn? was it complicated difficult or fun? >> i've been acting since i was a kid in a lot of plays and stuff, so i'm used to memory, but it was a guest-starring role, so i'm in the whole thing. >> you're a musical theater guy? >> musicals, shakespeare. >> can you do a little shakespeare for me? >> wherefore art thou, romeo?

>> but you're going to take this ride, huh? >> it's hard to go from reality to script, but they're giving me a shot. >> it's got to be hard for people that like "jersey shore." do you think they're going to grasp it? >> that's what i like about this, being a reality star, you're known for who you are, so it's nice to see another dimension to my personality. >> you and the cast of "jersey shore" are heading to italy. >> yeah. >> i want you to promise you're going to leavittly te italy theu found it. tell >> tell us what you have planned. >> we never know. whatever snooki gets into. >> what area are you going to so people can keep the children locked up? >> we don't know. they keep it a surprise. >> you're italian?

do you have family members in italy? >> all over. so i plan to meet up with them. >> is "jersey shore" on in italy? do they know you're a big star now? >> yes. >> everybody is going to want money. >> do you speak italian? >> i speak italian and keep learning a lot. it's my first language. >> do you know the italian translation for jim? >> i don't know. >> polestra. tan? >> cody did that to me at a hotel outlet. i'm getting ready to leave and a woman shows up -- don't do this to your mother. she shows up at the house and says, lots of laundry? i said, no, no. cody was driving over to have all his laundry done at the

hotel. i was so mad about it. >> i send milan dy laundry homey mom sends it back to me. >> done or undone? >> done. >> that doesn't happen at our house. what about your love interest in the show? >> at this point they're like family to me. i had a little thing with snooki, but that was some drunken, dirty shore night. >> do you regret it? >> no, i love snooki. she's great. >> do you remember it? >> i remember it. a little bit. >> vinnie, we hope you have a great time in italy. good luck with the tv series. it looks like fun. >> you can catch him on "jersey shore" this thursday and onn "te hard times of r.j. berger." that's next monday. stay with us. we have lots coming up. ♪ ♪

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good monday morning to you. 10:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. much of the bay area got a break in the clouds yesterday. southern california got hit about so much rain, part of the pacific coast highway is closed. numerous rockslides and a dozen homes in the san fernando valley had to be evacuated. 30 people were taken to a nearby fire station. look at the water. no reports of any injuries from the rockslides. just north up the coast in monterey, it looks like a portion of highway 1 will be closed for more than a month after a rock slide sent 60 feet

of roadway tumbling into the ocean. a two-mile stretch is off limits to cars and bicycles and pedestrians as heavy rain battered big sur. they raced to divert the water and limit the erosion. the cliff beneath the rod way crumbledki n l nlylyo one was injured. we'll take a quick break and be right back with weather and traffic. ♪ when you need a lift, just sing a song ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy with a natural treat ♪ ♪ have a good daisy, healthy foods to eat ♪ ♪ when you want some joy, dance to the beat ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy [ female announcer ] enjoy the fresh, 100% natural choice in cottage cheese. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy

we are actually looking at flood potential each and every day this week.

this morning we still have pretty heavy cells. one situated right over milpitas. a wintry mix coming down over mt. hamilton. a lot of the shower activity is clearth bay area. by 3:00 p.m., we'll see mostly clear conditions. another round of rain on track tomorrow evening then rain chances each and every day throughout the remainder of the week. drive safely out there and just the man to help you navigate, mike inouye. >> you want to drive safely. no problems as far as accidents but we have delays for the b.a.r.t. system. the yellow line heading out of the area because of some maintenance going on. again, no injuries or accidents, just maintenance work. towards the toll plaza, metering lights are still on but will be turned off soon. 101 approaching san mateo, backed up. a smooth drive and conditions and snow at mt. hamilton.

>> look how green it is out there. thanks for joining us. the "today" show continues next. we'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning starting at 5:00. we're back with today's tech. when the show debutted in 1952, television was in black and white, there were no remote controls, vcrs, cds or cable television. but we were happy? >> how the "tech" did we get here? how did we ever get by without these gadgets? >> an historic feat that could reshape man's future. better, faster, stronger.

>> we are in nbc's world communications center in the heart of radio city, new york. >> nbc begins a new program called "today," and if it doesn't sound too revolutionary, i really believe it begins a new kind of television. >> from a new kind of television to tweeting in the 21st century. >> ann curry and a bunch of social media junkies stuck in the elevator for more than an hour. did they panic, fear for their safety? nope, they tweeted. >> how the "tech" did we get here? >> you're doing very well. i'm holding in my finger a silicone chip and that's the core of the computer. >> i think you'll see a computer wherever there is a telephone. the question is not whether to get a computer but when. >> the a and the ring around it? >> that's what i said. >> the people from the computer department said, matt, we've now

hooked you up to e-mail. i hung up the phone and said, maybe i'll stick with a letter. >> where were you when you saw it first? where were we? the vinyl disk won't disappear any time soon, it will just have to move over and make room for the upstart in the business, the audio cassette. >> we're bringing you cakarioki. >> movies on tapes. you can rent them. >> you're going to be able to hang these things on your wall. >> you probably have run across somebody with an ipod, those tiny little digital juice boxes. >> let's see what nintendo has in store. >> tech fans, everywhere, rejoice because the iphone finally goes on sale.

>> we step out to broadcast to the ends of the earth. >> in the famous blue hole off the coast of central america. >> learning a few new words along the way. >> social networking site. >> skype. >> facebook profile. >> blogging, of course, certainly big business. >> why do you twitter? >> there's some people tweeting right now? >> it marks another milestone in this age of scientific miracles. >> and here with the hottest new electronics on the market is technology analyst omar. >> he's doing an old version, which is the kathie lee version, and a new version. >> the vcr might be more your speed, but for the person who is a little more future oriented, the music i-20 is a pair of eyewear, but if you put it on, you can see it represents a 67-inch screen about ten feet away. you can do tv mode, you can -- >> it looks like two screens.

>> that's the 3-d. >> it's a headache, is what it is. >> you can plug that into your ipad or iphone, and what's very cool is that if your partner goes to sleep before you, you can watch while they're sleeping or on airplanes. >> look at this phone. do you remember this guy? >> that's like an austin powers. when he got out of the jail. >> so that is the old school way to communicate, but the new way -- the future, the jetson thing has been video calls, and now with the uni from cisco, you can set this up so you have a camera here thaelt's got a receiver. it's very easy to use. >> is it like skype? >> like skype, but much higher band width. you can do it from your sofa so it's very easy for the family to all enjoy each other. so if you want to stay close to

your family far away, this is a very easy solution. >> my friend's daughter was having a skype party with her friends because she moved. >> that's cute, i like that. >> there's the old school scale, and this is the wii things scale that is hooked up to the internet. just a regular scale. but what you can do is not only have it record your weight over time on a chart on your own personal private web site, but you can also tweet your weight to the internet. >> first of all, i like this old scale because if you move just right, you can shave five pounds off. this one i like. that one i don't. >> tell the whole world how much you weigh. >> this is a 3-d camera by fuji. this is the old school.

remember the kodak? >> i still have one. i like it. >> it allows you to take 3-d photos. you can actually take and print 3-d photos. >> that doesn't look any -- >> it does look 3-d. she's off the page with the training wheels. >> you move it a slight interval and you can show them on your 3-d television or get them printed. >> this is the old school bike with the banana seat that we like. and the new one? >> this is an electric bike by nycewheels.com, and what's cool is you can take it -- >> great for storage, too. >> if you're someone that lives in a new york apartment, you want to have something compact. but it's also got this electric generator, electric battery. >> there are kids in college who ride their bikes everywhere, you know. >> do you want to ride it? >> no. thanks so much for asking.

>> and over she goes. >> now where am i supposed to go? >> you've got a little thumb throttle here. >> do you like it? >> yeah, i do. oh, my gosh, this i like. this i like. yeah, baby. >> we have to run, omar. >> thanks, omar. coming up next, heaven is for real. he recounts his amazing journey to heaven after emerging from life-saving surgery. it happened when he was just four years old.

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that works in minutes and lasts up to 12 hours. only alaway comes from bausch & lomb. for fast eye itch relief, add alaway. now to our story about a little boy and his experience in heaven. >> he has written a children's book that inspires millions. >> some people call this god's

country with crimson sunrises and rolling farmland. imperial, nebraska with its population of 1,082 is the heartland. it's also where the local pastor, his wife sonia and their three kids live. normal in all respects -- except one. >> the angels came to pick me up and i was looking right at jesus. >> that's right, colton, their 11-year-old, has been to heaven. >> then he says the thing that gets our attention. but that's what the angels sang to me, mommy. >> it all started when colton was four with a near tragedy. >> we really hit a real low because we looked at each other and thought we lost him. >> what they thought was the flu turned out to be a burst appendix. >> for a little kid to have all that poison for so long -- yeah. >> at the hospital, they were given little hope. >> i remember the doctor just not saying anything. that was a nightmare.

>> after 17 days in the hospital, colton emerged. but he was different. he began speaking about things he couldn't possibly know about. his mother's miscarriage, his dad's prayers and his visit with his great-grandfather, topp. >> i was just sitting by the holy spirit, and this guy comes up to me and says, are you todd's son? i said, yes. he said, well, i'm his grandfather. >> it all led to the book "heaven is for real." >> and todd and sonia and colton are here with us today. welcome to you all. >> thank you. >> we never planned to write a book, and people kept asking us to, and finally the right event fell into place. >> listening to what colton had to say when he came out of this, and describing where you were praying when there is no way he could know that, describe that interaction with your son.

>> it was one of those shock moments because he talks about seeing me in a room praying by myself. and that was one of those prayers where i was upset, i was mad, i was embarrassed about it. i didn't know anyone had seen that prayer. i hadn't told my wife about it. when my son could tell me where i was and what i was doing while he was in surgery, i was caught completely off guard. i didn't know how he knew that. >> wow. and he talked, too, that you had a miscarriage, sonia, that was obviously very debilitating to you. he was able to tell you about that little girl, right? >> yeah. he said she couldn't stop hugging him and she didn't have a name. >> there is no way he could know that. >> how do you explain to a three-year-old that a baby died in your tummy? >> so did you believe in heaven before you went there, colton? did you have any idea what it was like? >> i really didn't at the young age, but after my experience --

>> so when you saw your dad praying, okay, tell me where you were -- you said jesus was holding you at that point, yeah? tell us about that. >> well, i could see my dad in one room praying and talking to god while i was sitting on jesus' lap and i was looking down at him. >> what were you feeling then, sweetheart? >> well, you feel safe once you're in heaven because you feel scared down here, what's going to happen, how are we going to survive? up there you just feel safe. >> didn't you asking, who is on the other side of god who was sitting on the thrown? didn't he ask you that, todd? >> i asked him that because i didn't know. he could tell me where god, the father, sat and jesus sat right next to him. >> didn't you ask him, who is on the other side? did you ask him that? and what did you say? >> oh, that's easy, dad. then i just paused. >> for dramatic effect. >> exactly. >> and said what?

>> gabriel sits there. >> what did heaven look like? describe it. again, we've seen a lot of pictures and people -- we have things in our head, but what did it look like? >> well, there's a lot of colors, a lot of people, and a vast number of animals. >> are the people all young and nobody wears glasses, you said? >> yes, nobody wears glasses, but you're in, like, your 20s, 30s. >> see, i'm liking that. that sounded real good to me. >> there is a reason this book is number one on all the charts. people have a real hunger for it and it's just reached so many people. >> how many have you sold so far? >> 1.5 million. >> thank you for sharing. >> congratulations. >> i'm sure there is a lot of cynicism out there, but i tell you, it's a wonderful story to hear. you're a bright young man.

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we all known that feeling you need a snack but you don't know exactly what to eat. >> we have some foods that will boost your mood while you're munching. >> really, elizabeth summer! >> i've been studying food and mood for over 15 years. anyway, i know if you follow the five tips i'm about to give you, i guarantee it will boost your mood. >> i usually have sugar snacks, and you go high and then low. >> nope. >> first one, breakfast. we know the people who eat breakfast are happier and perform better at school and work, they even have a better time managing their weight, but i'm not talking donuts and pastry here. you need whole grain to fuel you' your brain. >> did you have yours this morning? >> no, i had a lot of coffee,

though. >> it doesn't seem to be working, elizabeth. >> you need at least one or two fruits and vegetables, and if you're saying i don't have time in the morning, skip it. >> what's the protein? >> oatmeal and fruit have it, the protein is in the milk, and then a clamshell of the driscollberry will load your brain. for lunch, keep it low fat and light. but when i say low fat, i don't mean all fats because some fats actually boost your mood and improve your memory. make sure you get some omega- omega-3 dha. make an egg salad sandwich out of it. >> with whole wheat. >> we're doing the snacks now? >> yeah. >> don't go for the quick fixes because they actually, like you mentioned earlier, they jack you up initially but then you crash.

>> like a man. a lot like a man. >> so instead if you need something sweet, maybe have some of those driscollberries, some strawberries, a little dark chocolate. water. if you're hydrated, you're going to be depressed and fatigued. so eight ounces of water, but you can also get water in watermelon. a big hunk of watermelon has the fluid equivalent of a glass of water. >> what do we have here? >> all carb snacks will boost the keratonin which will make you happy. if you've got to go to a meeting or something, have some protein. make sure it's always got wine. >> what's that doing there? >> a little red wine is good. >> we really do love your

hairstyle. fan of the week coming up next

it is time to surprise one of our devoted viewers at home in our series we call "fan of the week." >> and sara is going to announce the lucky winner. >> it's time, the moment you've been waiting for. drumroll. congratulations to chloe jenkins. she's from mexico, and she watches on our affiliate kdvr. she just had a baby girl and has not missedfdñ show while on maternity leave. her favorite part of the show is when you guys talk over each other, because you change your answers, make excuses or blame each other. she watches kathie lee and hoda because of their mood-lifting attitude. we're going to send her to the

ritz-carlton laguna hotel in sunny california. you'll be dine forg one night in the rya restaurant and use the accommodations in the fitness center. >> i was just near there the other day. it's just gorgeous. congratulations, chloe. tomorrow, a colorful spring fashion show. >> also, wine.